The Infection
by SeleneDucky123
Summary: A story about a infected girl who was designed to be a miracle in a world so bleak.
1. The Infection

_1._

 _My hand is shaking. I'm bitten. The bitch...the little bitch infected me. My life flashed before my eyes. I never been so scared. I need to write down my last words before I finish this._

 _I wasted eleven years of my young life working those unethical Fireflies. I believed in the lie that they would find the cure for the fungus epidemic, I was so hopeful and loyal to them. I worked as a researcher, I studied and examined the deceased Infecteds we hunt down._

 _I studied cells after cells, every inch of the fungus sample, in hopes I would find a miracle. But soon I woke up and faced reality. This world is a fungal infested shithole and it will always be._

 _So finally I left with a few of my closest companions and decided to form my own revolutionary militia group, the FEG. (Fungal Experiments Generation). We set up our base in an abandoned hospital that the Fireflies once used._

 _Our goal was to find the cure ourselves or at the very least learn something new. For ten years, I worked myself into a dead end. I was close to throwing in the towel and accepting that there will never be a cure. Life became bleak, members of my teams abandoned hope and left. I was all alone. But then I made Faye._

 _Making Faye was simple, within the hospital there was a room that stored frozen embryos. The Fireflies, I believed had a similar idea to mine, but they deserted it. I then took a pre stage 4 level embryo and combined it with a piece of the Cordycep fungus. I took extra steps and did this to six embryos. I put them all in a controlled, tranquil environment inside tubes and patiently waited for forty weeks._

 _All but one of the embryos survived the process. The fungus either drained them or dissolved them. I thought the fungus somehow formed a symbiotic relationship with the now baby, but as I did my studies, I discovered that the child's DNA is mutated with the fungus. The child was a female I ended up naming Faye. I observed her from head to toe to see what effects her mutation would cause. Faye looked normal as she developed. She was pint sized like any other little girl. She had a cute oval face, wavy chestnut hair that touched her shoulders, dimples, light hazel eyes, and pale skin with a wave of light freckles on her cheeks and nose. She was quite adorable. I would take a blood sample from Faye, her blood was full of the Cordycep fungus, the Cordycep was mixed with her blood cells. She wasn't just infected, she is the infection. I was so proud of myself for making such a extraordinary experiment._

 _As Faye developed, I researched her ability to infect with the roaming rats I found around the hospital. Her infection methods were similar to the Infected; a simple bite to the flesh. I watched the rat jerked and thrashed violently as the infection took over it's body. Then after five minutes, the rat become motionless and unresponsive, a another minute passed and it just dropped dead. Animals are affected differently from the fungus, I supposed. I also learned Faye could infect animals with her nails, if she scratches the object hard enough to draw blood. I wasn't sure how she felt about her infecting others, she didn't appear to be fazed. I began to inject Faye with more of the fungus for research and waited for various reactions from her._ _Sometimes she showed hints of defiance when I do my injections, she would complain and pout like a small petulant child. But she would never physically retaliate or resist. The extra fungus seemed to cause her ailments, sometimes she would develop a quick fever or a pang of nausea. But she would be fine within an hour or so after the injection._ _Faye began to ask me to let her go outside. She seems to yearn for socialization. Her behavior in general is mellow and reserved. She tries to interact with me as if I was a friend of hers, but I would always refuse every time. Soon, I discovered Faye had a healing factor or at the very least seemed to have the ability of regeneration. There were times when she would hurt herself accidentally, but would heal within hours. I would observe her hurting herself awhile she tumbles and stumbles. Once she had a broken leg, her marrow and tissues healed within a day, her cuts would even turn into scars within minutes. I considered cutting off her arms to see if she would grow them back, but I feared she would attack me. Faye was a miracle, my perfect experiment._

 _I wanted to share my project to the Fireflies in hopes that they would help me. I was positive that my abandonment of the group would be forgiven if I gave them a miracle. But then it happened, I still can't understand what happened. Faye became unstable and violent, I had no idea how to control her. I decided I had to kill her when she became a threat to me, but before I could do anything, she dug her teeth into my arm. I took one look at my bite, it was deep and violently burning. I screamed like a little girl and locked myself in the nearest bathroom. Here I write my last words. I hear Faye calling for me. The infection is still processing through my system. My arm is rotting, I can smell my raw flesh. The infection is slow, but it's destroying me from the inside. I can feel it. My mind is slipping. I think I'm hallucinating, I keep hearing things I can't see and I'm starting to see things I know is not there. Death is coming I know it. I deserve this. I should have never played with life._

 _The infection is making it hard for me to write. My limbs feels weak and restless. I'm trembling, I have a high fever now. I messed up so bad, hopefully a cure will emerge one day._

 _-_ _Dan_


	2. The Fungal Girl

20XXX-3-19

 _Me and my crew discovered Daniel Mucker's experiment at the Saint Hartman Hospital. An old hospital we use to use before we found our new one. We were simply scavenging for resources, but we found something else. We found this little girl who was wandering the area, barefoot and dazed. Scattered everywhere were reports and notes. Upon reading the reports, we learned that Mucker created this girl named Faye inside a laboratory in the hospital. Her DNA is mutated with the Cordycep fungus, but yet she looks normal. As we scanned the area, we discovered Mucker's body, fungus molded inside the bathroom and spores were floating in the air. His body was deteriorated, fungus covering his entire body. We made sure to put our mask on for safety and even aimed our guns in case he arose. We noticed a hole in his head and a gun right next to him. Thankfully he wasn't able to turn._

 _Nor me or my companions wished to shoot a young child, fortunately Faye was compliant and harmless. She even allowed us to tie her up. We placed the child out of the hospital and put her on our truck, eagerly wanting to show her to the Head of the Fireflies._

 _The child is silent, I try to conversant with her, awhile keeping a fair distance. But all I would get was a averted look and sometimes a curt sentence. Me and the others are armed in case she becomes violent. From Mucker's last letter, she had a violent outburst that led to his death. If we are going to test her, we must learn all of her traits. Hopefully this girl will be a breakthrough for humanity._

 _Carter_

 _20XXX-3-25_

 _We made it to our nearest base to research Faye. It will take us months to get to the Head Zone, so we're stopping here for now. Researchers and scientists are testing her. They theorized her attack on her creator was possibly a defense mechanism or a violent instinct from her DNA mutation. When asked about it, she didn't give a clear explanation, she confessed to it. But she had nothing in her voice, her voice was childish and innocent, maybe she's not aware of her abilities. I'm not surprised by her answer, she is eleven years old._

 _From the letter of Mucker, the researcher theorizes that her infection are different from an Infected's bite. From incidents where people have been bitten, the subject will suffer great pain as the infection spreads through their body, their minds begin to deteriorate and they become insane. After a couple of hours of the bite, the subject will turn. Mucker had similar symptoms, but the infection obviously caused him auditory hallucinations and visual hallucinations. His infection lasted for chronologically seven days, contrasting from the usual single day span. Perhaps the fungus in her DNA code is affecting her sanity? We will run more test on her._

 _20XXX-3-28_

 _Faye's behavior rapidly shifted. For a moment, she became violent and unstable. We kept her in a secure room for our safety, she was screaming in pain as she had erratic spasms and twitches. Her eyes darkened and her pupils widened. This behavior lasted for a single hour, when she returned to her original mental state, she appeared to be dazed and confused. We are now watching her precisely. We are creating a antidote from her odd "fits". We finally managed to contact the Head Zone. They are sending escorts to us with extra soldiers to protect us. We just have to wait for 90 days until they arrive._

 _20XXX-4-12_

 _We managed to create a serum, we mixed Faye's blood and Penicillium fungi. The scientists were simply experimenting with this project, but discovered it worked. They made the serum into small pills Faye will consume periodically. We test her and everything is the same. She is in a neutral state._

 _20XXX-4-25_

 _The pills are becoming scarce. Faye is becoming violent once again. We need to be armed._

 _20XXX-5-13_

 _Faye has escaped, she showed a brand new ability, she somehow spreaded her fungus around the base as she runs. Many of the Guards are infected by her. She kept screaming out that she doesn't want to be tested anymore. We tried to tranquilize her, but it seems to have no effect. We ordered the Guards not to shoot her vital parts and to simply stabilize her. Faye's behavior was erratic, she was giggling madly as she ran away. Her sanity is dropping, perhaps it was the pills or her DNA? We are searching for her right now. But we still haven't found a trace of her. The Fireflies from the Head Zone has arrived and are helping. If Faye is found, we must quarantine her. But if subject is beyond reconciliation, we must kill her immediately._

 _ **That is probably going to be the last report chapter of this story. Next we'll finally get to the good POV stuff. Hope you enjoyed. Please leave review. The next chapter will be around within a month or a week. I want to take my writing slow so I won't develop writer's block.**_


	3. The Escape

**_This chapter is during the time of the last letter in chapter 2. Enjoy. Sorry if I confused some._**

3.

I gaze out the window as it rains. I was never sure why but I always enjoyed the sight of rain. My arm is still aching, I had my testing done a few minutes ago. I hear the muffled voices of the researchers and scientists. In a few hours, I will be examined and tested once again. They will take blood from me, give me a X ray, and then they make me take bitter pills to keep me stable. Every single day I endure this routine. Even though I been with the Fireflies for a short amount of time, I'm already sick of them. My mind unravels every passing minute, I lay on my bed in my sterile room. They lock me inside this room everyday, which is smart, I'll admit. I'm not exactly a safe person. I was the human embodiment of the Cordycep fungus. I was created in a lab by a man named Daniel Mucker. Me being the infection has its pros and cons. For one, I can never get infected like normal people. In fact, I can infect people in many ways. But one of the main cons is that the fungus can cause me to come unhinged. I lose control and my sanity vanishes. My condition parallels me to the actual Infected. They got bitten or accidentally inhaled spores, the infection takes over their mind and body. I go insane for a short amount of time, but these Infecteds are trapped in their own world of madness forever. The first time I lost my sanity, I ended up biting my creator. I still remember Mucker's scream of horror and panic. When I heard his shrill scream, I snapped back into reality and I realized what I've done. I attempted to approach him, but he fled from me as fast as he could.

He dove into the nearest bathroom and locked it. I called out to him, but he never answered back.

I was all alone for a long time, I was a ball of nerves. I feared myself, I knew what I was and what I'm capable of.

The last thing I heard from Mucker was a one quick gunshot. And I was completely alone. When I killed my creator, I felt great guilt and sorrow. I didn't know what to do, I always had Mucker watching me. I can't say Mucker was a good person to me, he was distant and always busy. But he was the closest thing I had to a companion.

I hear the door's locks crack open and I turn to see one of the scientists, Mr. Blake. A round man with a stubby dark beard. His sharp eyes buried into me, in his hand was a notepad. I didn't want to be tested again. I glance out the window. I want to go outside for once. I want freedom. Many of the Fireflies members mistreated me poorly here. They insult me, mock me, and belittle me. I'm often called a monster, I often hear the words, "violent" or "dangerous" used to describe me. I would brush off their words and my hate for them would just grow more. A few of the members would even physical abuse me. I remembered this one time when a hot tempered female member slapped me for something I said. Instead of hitting her back, I smiled and threatened to infect her. That member stayed far away from me after that.

"Can I go now?" I beg.

Mr. Blake's voice is deep and grave. "No. It's time for your blood test."

I frown. Mr. Blake didn't abuse me like the others. But he wasn't kind to me at all. The blood sample was quick. When Mr. Blake left the room I decide it's time to escape. I've been locked up for most of my young life and now I want freedom.

The door is only an inch open. I hop off my bed and try to push this steel door open. The door was heavy and stiff.

"UGH!" I cry out in frustration. I manage to push it slightly, but I halt when it makes a loud creaking sound. The door is open wide enough to slip through, I wiggle myself into the hallway. I fear I'm going to get caught, but I realize I'm all alone in the hallway.

I make sure I walk slowly and quietly as I make it to the stairways. I feel so stupid not doing this before. Then I hear a shrill voice. "Oh my God!" I whirl around to see Diana, a Firefly member who always taunted me. She narrows her eyes and pulls out her gun with a grimace. My heart jolts as fear seeps into my veins. I try to run for it but Diana is inches away from me. The gun is so close to my face I could kiss it.

Diana glares at me with fury in her eyes. "You infected brat! The fuck you doing out here?" She hiss.

I struggle to keep calm. Panicking will only make her pull the trigger.

"I'm going outside." I whisper. Diana then huffs and puts her gun away. She grabs a handful of my hair and begins to drag me back to my room. I kick and scream and squirm defiantly. I twist violently around as I tug back. "GET OFF ME!" I shriek, hoping I would alert someone. But no one comes. Diana let a angry groan, then she cracked me against the head with a hard hand. I'm stunned for a second. "ENOUGH! STOP IT!" She roared.

Then I bite her wrist. Then my mind is gone.

When I lose my sanity I'm still conscious. I just can't do anything. It's like another entity takes over. I hear Diana's bloodcurdling scream, she shoves me hard to the floor as she staggers back in fright. She begins to yank out her gun but I'm already pouncing on her. I'm vicious as I try to take a chunk out of her neck. I start hearing other voices but I pay little attention. Diana wrestles with me as I claw her skin with my nails. I smile darkly. "So who's the infected brat now, Diana?" I mock. Diana puts up a fight and she kicks me off, she drops her gun and I pick it up quickly.

Before I can do anything, I hear a booming voice behind me. "FAYE, NO! PUT THAT DOWN!" I turn around, gun firm in my hand. I see guards at the end of the hallway, armed and lined up. Two of the scientists stands and stares in horror.

"Drop the gun." One of the guard barks. I just stand there motionless. I feel myself vibrating from the inside. I struggle to hang on the strings of my weakening sanity. Dr. Klaus gasp suddenly. He's quick to realize what's wrong with me. "Her sanity is dropping, restraint her now! Do not shoot!" He orders. I turn my head to Diana's whimpering. She is cradling her wrist with tears pouring down her face. My bite is already reddening and blotchy. I can't help but cackle. I could care less about Diana at that moment. As far as I'm concerned, she deserves it.

I then notice a strange smell in the air my nose tracks it down and I look down at my bare feet. Fungus sprouts out of me and covers the floor. I stare at the floor in shock. I never did this before. The fungus then spreads rapidly towards the now alerted people. Some of the guards turn into cowards and retreats, the scientists are at their heels. Others trudges towards me with their guns drawn. Their boots steps in the fungus. The fungus seeps onto them without hesitation. They cry and panic as they wildly try to shake it off. I leap on one of them and take a chunk out of his arm, I taste his blood in my mouth. The guard screams like a dying animal and stumbles to the floor. The fungus is now at his neck, he convulses violently. The fungus forces itself into his clothes and into his skin. The other guard is wildly squirming as he is being buried by the fungus as well. I then feel myself snapping back into reality. It's a strange feeling that I can't explain. I don't wait and I instantly run down the hallway.

I hear a gunshot near me I sense a bullet soaring by my ear. I lose my grip on the gun and I nearly fall the floor. I'm quick to regain my balance and I keep running. I wasn't invincible, I could still die from a bullet through the heart. I'm fueled with adrenaline, I turn my head as I continue to run. A guard is on my tail, he is armed and ready to kill me. My fungus is on his clothes but that didn't stop him from chasing me. He shoots at me once again I quickly duck my head and I finally see the other stairway. I fly down the staircase and I don't stop. The guard marches after me, the stairs seems to slow him down. I enter the lobby and I spot the wide entrance door.

A woman in the lobby shrieks at the sight of me and runs away from me. I ignore her and I make it towards the door. A bullet plummets into my shoulder, it takes my breath away as sharp pain surges through my left arm. I know the guard is close, I push the doors with all my might and heart.

"YES!" I feel great triumph as the sweet air of nature hits me my face, heavy rain drenches me immediately. I gaze at the outside. It is lush and wild with nature, no human in sight. A proud smile prints itself on my face as I run once again.

Then another bullet narrowly misses me.

"COME BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE BITCH!" The guard roars, full of rage. He charges towards me and I keep running. I'm surrounded by abandoned buildings and rusty cars. I take a sharp turn and dive behind an old black car. I crawl under it and keep quiet. My heart is pounding when I see the guard's massive boots. Beads of sweat rolls down my face as I bit my lip in anxiety. It feel like hours before he finally leaves. I hear the static of a walky talky and I hear the guard speak.

"Hey, I lost track of that girl. I think she's gone." His voice was caked with frustration and anger. "I need backup now!"

"Got it." It was a woman's voice. He mumbles something under his breath as he cuts off. I have an idea I crawl from under the car towards the guard. His back is turned to me and I bare my teeth. Quickly I pounce on his back.

"FUCK?!" He yelps in shock. I bite his neck so hard I draw blood. I cling on to him as he violently tries to shake me off. He drops his gun as he clumsily stumbles to the ground. The air is forced out of my lungs as I fall along with him. But I refuse to release my bite from his neck, his blood fills my mouth. His blood is bitter and metallic tasting.

I finally yank away from him when he finally stops moving. I watch his body jerk in a strange way, my bite is already red and spreading on his neck. His breath is heavy and weak. He doesn't stir and stays in a unresponsive position. I run once again without looking back.

 _Hopefully this was well written or at least good enough. 4 will come eventually. Please leave reviews and thoughts_ _._


	4. The Luck of the Dead

4.

I trudges through the forest to escape the Fireflies. Even in my depth of my anxiety, I still admired the beauty of nature. The forest I was in was wide and lush, hills stood in the distance. The rain finally ceased and the world was at peace. I always found natural life extraordinary. I tramp through the thick forest with a racing heart, beads of sweat runs down my face.

I can't shake this feeling of dread, I feared roaming Infected, flesh eating animals, and dangerous humans.

 _You can defend yourself, Faye_. I reassured myself. I look up to see a flock of birds soaring over my head, squirrels scurries the area, I was even able to catch a quick glimpse of a timid deer.

As I continue to wander aimlessly, I think on what I should do. Where do I go? I can't go back to Mucker's lab and I definitely can't return to the Fireflies. My legs are seconds away from giving out, my entire body was sore and achy. I consider examining my bullet wound in my shoulder, but I keep walking forward. At first I was in sharp pain, but now my body is healing itself.

Ckk! I whirl around to the sudden commotion. I back away cautiously as I begin to hear familiar sound. Click...cllicc. I know I can't run, I will just alert it to my direction. The sounds seems close, but it's a fair distance from me. Animals begin to scurrying away in fear of the creature lurking through the woods.

My heart is pounding rapidly, my breathing is rough and short. The clicking sound is echoing near as I walk away. The Clicker is nearby. I warn myself silently.

Clickers were the third stage of the infection, the infected subject is blind and animalistic. Their eyes are unusable as the hardened fungus covers their entire face, you think that they would be easy to evade due to their lack of sight. But no, their hearing is advanced and precise, one wrong step and a creak will get you killed. I glance at the Clicker, just the mere sight of it brings chills down my spine. It's half naked with it's shredded clothes, I suppose it is a female, with how long and string like its dark hair was and it's plump breasts. Sometimes the genders of the Infected can be impossible to examine.

I yearn for a weapon. I never been so close to an Infected before. I watch it twitch erratically in place. I keep walking away slowly and steadily, I periodically scan the ground to evade brittle sticks or leaves and fallen branches as I primarily keep my eyes on the Infected. Slow...slow...slow...I chant in my head.

Then I hear a sharp voice in the distant. "There she is!" The Clicker goes wild, with a animalistic screech, it charges towards the sound of the voice. I don't wait and I bolt away. Bloodcurdling screams and the rapid sounds of bullets rings through the forest. I feel twinges in my legs as I struggle to keep my balance. I make sure I don't trip over any fallen branches and twigs. I no longer hear the human screams and I only hear the inhuman screech of the Infected. At least I didn't have to worry about the people chasing me.

I continue run non stop, ignoring the pain in my body. I take one sharp turn to the left, my foot gets caught in something I couldn't see, I stumble to the ground face first with a hard thud. The rest of my energy leaves my body, causing me to be stiff and exhausted. I muster enough will to roll myself my back, when I did, I am breathless and weary. I lay on my back alone.

My heart is thundering in my chest, apprehension fills me. My blood runs cold as I hear the approaching stomping of the Clicker. It probably heard my fall. It's violently spasming, rapid clicking sounds echoes through the air. I hold my breath, my eyes studies the creature with caution. I try to budge my limbs, trying to find the will to retreat. But it's in vain, within seconds, it sprints towards me. It pounces on me with terrifying speed, my instincts kicks in immediately and my hands are struggling to push the beast off of me. I'm gasping hysterically for air, my hands are trembling, the Clicker snaps it's jagged teeth at me, trying to chew off my face. It's arms flails violently, narrowly missing my face.

"GET OFF OF ME!" I shriek. Adrenaline fuels my veins I push with all my might. "NO! NO!" The Clicker lets out a deafening roar. I feel myself weakening once again, I make sure to stiffen my arms to protect myself.

I'm seconds away to from fainting from exhaustion, I can feel it. My head becomes light and dizzy, I look up at the blue sky. A lone black bird flies above me, free and secure. Then I hear a sharp piercing sound, I catch a quick glimpse of an arrow penetrating into the Clicker's face. The force of the arrow fling the Clicker off of me. It convulses erratically in a wild dance with a long lasting dying cry. A wave of relief surges through me for a second until I hear rapid footsteps. I grow rigid with trepidation. Swift hands grabs me and within a second I feel myself being carried, my head lays idly on someone's warm chest. A man's voice cries out. "You are okay, kid. Just hang on!" My eyes closes themselves without my permission and I black out.

 _ **5 is coming up. Leave reviews and thoughts.**_


	5. The milk of Human Kindness

5.

"Faye." I wake up to the voice of Mucker. I sit up in my stiff bed, wrapped up in my warm blankets. Mucker's eyes burns into me. He examines me and places his hand onto my head. "Hot." He comments. I want to go back to sleep badly. My throat is sore and strained and my fever was stealing my strength. Minutes before, Mucker injected me with the fungus. Within seconds, my left arm began to sting. My entire body became heated, my throat became raw, and my stomach became bitter and churned. Quivering, I pleaded for help from Mucker. But my cries fell into deaf ears as Mucker was too occupied with his notepad to help me. Then when I nearly threw up, Mucker left my bedroom to let me rest, his eyes were still glued to his notepad even when he headed out the door. He didn't have the notepad now, he will in a few hours, when I'm better.

"Faye, how are you feeling?" He ask.

My voice is hoarse and small. "Sick...I don't like...those tests." I complain. Mucker shakes his head. "Faye, you must take these tests, you'll get use to it." He assures me. "You'll feel better soon, I promise. At 3:00, you'll take another test," Mucker glances at the old alarm clock he gave me for my tenth birthday. "It's 2:11 now, so you rest for now." I want to protest, but when I open my mouth, I hear a sudden voice. Muffled and unfamiliar. I turn my head to the voice. No one else lives here, it's just me and Mucker.

I then hear two voices. They seems to come from somewhere far away, but close. I quickly become frightened. I turn my head to seek comfort from Mucker. "Mucker!" I cry. My frantic voice echoes in my empty room. I begin to shudder as the voices come closer.

I wake up with a gasp. I look at my new surroundings. I'm in a warm wooden bedroom, wrapped up in a comfy cocoon of blankets. Across the room was a dark dresser with a lit candle that dimly lighten the room. I remember what happened before, I was so exhausted to see who took me. I'm full of apprehension. I distract myself by looking out the window. Outside I see a wide field with a massive garden. Flowers and herbs flourishes. In the very back is a bright red barn and a tall fence that closed off the wild from the area. I look down to see how high I am. Too high to escape. I'm at least ten feet from the ground.

"Why are you doing this?" A man's voice makes me jerk. I feel so sore as I force myself to get out of bed. I slowly walk towards the closed door of the bedroom, I press my ear on the door to listen.

The voice becomes loud and clear now. Another man's voice speaks next. His voice was gentle and low. "I couldn't just leave her there. She's just a kid!" I immediately realize they were probably referring me.

The first man's voice is gruff and thick. His tone is deep with frustration and anger. "You are a dumbass!" He snaps. "You find some kid that was just attacked by an Clicker and you bring her to the house!"

"I just wanted to help. She was being attacked, so I shot the thing with my crossbow!"

"She's another mouth to feed, Nick!" The gruff man barks. Then his tone turns grave. "Did you check her for a bite? Does she have a bite?"

"No. There's no bite, Nina looked at her before I took her upstairs." Nick explains. "I couldn't just leave a kid to defend for herself." His tone is somber.

I'm completely puzzled. Why would this man help me? I have so many questions. Where am I? Am I safe?

I then hear quick footsteps coming up a flight of stairs, before I can do anything, the door I'm leaning on flies open. I'm able to catch myself from losing my balance and look up to see one of the man. It was a tall, thin man with light brown hair and blue eyes. I quickly grow rigid. The man's eyes flashes with concern. From his expression, he was clearly shocked that I awoken. "Are you okay?" His voice quickly makes me realize I was speaking to Nick.

I quickly nod. Then I hear another set of footsteps emerging from downstairs, a man appears behind Nick. His dark eyes pierces into mine, his hair is unkempt and rust colored, his beard tangled and thick. He is well built and towers over Nick. I can tell from his glare he does not like me.

Nick doesn't seem to notice him. He extends out his hand to me. "My name is Nick, what's your name?" He gives me a warm smile. I don't shake his hand and I take a cautious step back. Nick puts his hand down. "Guess you're not a talker. Are you feeling okay?"

I simply nod. The other man is still staring at me, his eyes follows my every movement. I feel discomfort and anxiety growing within me. I desperately want to run away, but I'm closed off.

The other man loses his patience and steps into the room. I take another step back. "Are you deaf? Who are you? What's your name, answer him!" He demands, raising his voice. The bitterness in his tone irritates me.

"Enough, Felix. You're scaring her." Nick rebukes. "Shut up." was Felix's only response.

"Faye…." I mumble.

"Good, you can talk." He says.

"Who are you?" I take one bold step closer to Felix. Felix looks like he wants to slap me across the face, he probably would have if Nick didn't step in front of him.

"Calm down, everyone." Nick says. "Nina is making dinner, let's eat and then…" Felix quickly cuts him off. "What? The girl is not staying here. This isn't a bed and breakfast." He snarls.

Nick shakes his head and takes a deep breath. "Well good thing this isn't your house." He humors. He flashes me a sincere smile. "You hungry?" He inquire.

I'm quiet once again. I think about the open forest, I desire a way to escape. But I know that I can't, Felix gives me a death stare and Nick is standing in my way. Could I bite them? No. Too risky.

"Yes." I mouth.

I follow Nick and Felix downstairs, a aroma of broth emerges from the kitchen. When I enter the kitchen, I see a slender woman in a pink apron, she stands the counter, chopping up carrots with a knife. Candles lit the dim room, flickering.

"Nina, she's awake!" Nick says. When he says this, the woman puts down the knife and whirls around to see us. Her eyes are full of compassion, she kneels down to me. "Are you hungry, missy? You look beat." She offers.

"Yes." I says, feeling the empty pit of my stomach. Nina pushes back a bang from her eyes and flashes me a smile. I find this woman stunning, she looks like one of those models Mucker had in his magazines stacks. When Mucker was alone, he would stare at them in his room for hours. I snuck into his room a few times to see it myself. She looks exactly like one of the women. Minus the nudity. She has curling white blonde hair, high cheekbones, emerald green eyes, and fair skin. Her smile is warm and dimply. "Dinner's almost ready, I hope you like soup."

With that, I sit at the table by myself. Nick and Felix stand nearby. The simple smell of the food makes my stomach grumble. Nina serves me a bowl of broth. Slices of carrots float in the water, I spot scattered rice inside of the bowl. It smells amazing. Nina gives me a spoon and I dig in. The broth makes me feel secure for a moment. But anxiety still lingers in me. I glance behind me to see Nick and Felix. Nick notices my glance and gives me a quick wave. Felix notices as well and grimaces at me. "You gotta a staring problem?" He mocks.

I don't answer and return back to my eating. When I'm done, Nina serves me a glass of milk. This is my first time ever having milk. I take a curious sip and relish the sweet, warm taste.

I feel comfortable enough to ask questions now. I turn in my chair to Nick. "What happened?" I ask him.

"Well I found you in the woods being attacked by a Clicker, young lady." He explains. "Why were you all alone? Where's your parents?"

My eyes widen. I want to tell the truth, but I know I can't. "My parents are gone like everyone else." I says. Technically I'm half telling the truth. I was made in a lab, not inside of a woman's womb like a natural child. I grew up with Mucker for most of my life until I killed him. Mucker was practically the only parental figure I ever had. I feel a pang of longing when I think of him. Nick lowers his eyes, clearly regretting asking his question.

"I'm sorry, Faye." Nick says.

I feel a pang of guilt and I open my mouth to say something when Felix jumps in. "You didn't answer his first question." He points out. I'm quiet for a moment so I can think of a good story. Felix loses his patience quickly. "Hello! Are you deaf or something? Answer the question. TODAY!" He snarls.

"Felix!" Felix's eyes widen at the intensity of Nina's voice. Her eyes shoot daggers into his as she chastises him. "Give the girl a minute to speak! You've been at her throat since she woke up!"

Felix rolls his eyes and he faces me again. He stays the same. He grits his teeth. "Why are you here?" Felix demands.

"I wandered off." I blurt out.

"From who? I thought you just said you're an orphan!" Felix's eyes narrows.

"I am. I…..I…..was with….um…." My mind goes blank. I can't tell these people my true story. I wonder what their reactions would be like if I did spill it. That I just escaped the Fireflies after attacking them and going crazy. That I killed a few guards to save my skin. Or that I'm the literal human embodiment of the fungus. They would surely kill me if I said that.

I think of a lie. "I was with a group!" I says.

"What happened to them?" Nick chimes in.

"I was hunting with them and….we got attacked. By…..those things…" I says. Nina walks over to me and puts a comforting hand on my shoulder.

I keep going on with my lie. "I….I was looking for them when I got attacked. Thank you for helping me." My gratitude is genuine. I feel my lips form a small smile.

"Well you're safe here. You can stay with us for now." Nina chirps. Felix, of course, did not approve of this.

"NO!" He disagreed. "She's another mouth to feed. What about the kids?" Nina looks at Felix like he was an idiot. "The girls are fine. We have enough food to feed one more." Nina say.

I raise an eyebrow. "Girls?" I echo.

Nina's eyes flashes with excitement. Her voice is so cheerful. "Yep. You can be BFF with our girls…..um…" She screws up her face. I'm puzzled for a moment until I realize she doesn't know my name. "Faye. My name is Faye." I tell her.

Nina's face returns back its fair form. "How old are you, Faye?" She ask.

"Eleven." I says. It feels so surreal to say my age.

"We have two girls who will love you." Nina says with a grin.

"Where are they?" I inquire, scanning my surroundings.

"Upstairs, it's late." Nina explains. "After dinner, you should take a bath and go to bed." She adds. I'm not sure what to say. I didn't like being told what to do by strangers, but I didn't want to be rude. I nod and finish my meal. Nina escorts me upstairs to a small bathroom. The tub is full of steamy water, ready for me.

I raise an eyebrow. I appreciate all this kindness from these people. But I did feel a bit uneasy.

"Did you prepare this bath for me too?" I ask with an nervous edge in my voice. Nina shakes her head. "No, this was my bath. But you can take it." She explains softly. "I'll give you some clothes, we have enough." With that Nina leaves me in the bathroom. The bathroom is like the entire house, dimly lit by candles. I smell the scent of sweet vanilla in the air.

A minute passes and Nina returns with new clothes for me. Blue jeans and a red and white striped shirt and a pair of white socks. "Don't take long. After you're done, go straight to bed. Just go to the room you woke up in." She tells me. With that, she turns around and disappears into the hallway.

I lock the door and undress. I then sit down in the tub and let my muscles enjoy the soothing, warm water.

The house is silent. The candles flickers as I'm alone with my thoughts. I think about my escape. How I attacked that guard. How the fungus sprouted out of me and infected those men. I relive the moment where I bit that woman. How I went insane. I'm obviously not insane now. But I'm anxious of me lashing once again. It's a trait I hate about myself. I didn't feel remorse about killing and infecting that lady and those guards, I just fear that I will lash out on this group. I like them from how pleasant they are treating me. Minus Felix. But I don't desire to kill him until he's a threat. I have so many questions flooding my head. What am I going to do? That is my main concern. I decide it's best to stay here. I'm welcomed, there's a fence, food, and resources. I just have to stay low until the Fireflies stop hunting me.

When I get out of the tub, I dress myself and head to the bedroom, eager to go to sleep.

 _ **Thanks for reading. Let reviews and thoughts please. 6 is coming soon.**_


	6. The Gray Sheep

_**Faye, in this chapter, gets use to the new house and gets to know her rescuers.**_

6.

I toss back and forth in my sleep as I'm trapped in my nightmare. I'm careening through a dark path. The roars and horrid shrills of Infected escalates behind me. The air feels so oppressive. I have no idea where I am running or how I got here in the first place. My mind is not in control, my legs develop a mind of their own. I can hear my heart thundering in my eardrums. "AHHHHH!" I let out a inhuman screech when a Runner pounces on me from behind. I violently flail my body like a fish on a hook, I'm quick to whirl around to face it and struggle with the Runner. I push it back with my hands around it's jagged jaw, it makes animalistic growls as it tries to eat my face.

I feel a sudden twitch inside myself. At first, I'm too distracted to notice it. But I feel myself numbing up. My body begins to vibrate, a surge of unexplained energy rushes through me. My head becomes dizzy, I hear a low growl and I quickly realize it's mine. My mind begins to vanish slowly, my urges become instinctual. With deadly speed, I throw myself forward and bury my teeth into the Infected's blotchy neck. The Infected violently flails as I do, I wrap my arms around it like an iron vice, adamant to not release my bite. I taste the blood flowing into my mouth. So acidic. The metallic human blood mixes with the fungus's bitterness. The creature lets out one long winded wail as it dies slowly. I feel normal once again and yank myself away from the creature. Then I gasp sharply at the sight.

Mucker sits in front of me. A deep gash in his neck sprouts out a fountain of liquid crimson. My mouth falls open in shock. Tears fill up in my eyes. Aghast, I watch Mucker fall to the ground with a soft thud.

I jolt out of my nightmare. I tremble in my blankets, beads of sweat drenches my body. I'm safe, I'm still in the house. Safe and warm and sane. Sunlight shimmers through the window, lighting up the room. Then I hear a light knock on the door.

I then hear a soft voice. "Are you awake?" It's a child's voice.

I don't say anything and I hop out of bed. I walk towards the door and open it to see a little girl.

The girl is considerably small compared to me. She has curly light brown hair, big green eyes, peachy skin, and a shy smile. Her voice is light and meek. "Good morning. Mommy wanted you to know that it's breakfast time." Her eyes are staring at the floor as she speaks, her right hand clutches her left wrist. She is evidently nervous of my presence. I hope I didn't scare her.

"Thank you." I says. "What's your name?" I add.

"Harlow." She answers softly. Then she adds politely. "You're welcome."

I hear the sound of dishes clutter in the kitchen, then I hear Nina call out. "Harlow, is she up? It's time for breakfast. Come on down, we're having scrambled eggs." She beams.

Harlow nods. "Yes, ma'am." She says back precise. With that, she hurries downstairs. I follow her and enter the dining room.

Candles fill the dining room. At the dinner table I see a new face. The other daughter Nina was referring to, I suppose. She looks to be fourteen. A tall girl with straight black hair, blue eyes, and a round face. She sits close to Felix, studying me as I walk into the room. Suspicious floods her eyes. Similar to Felix, she obviously doesn't trust me.

Nick sits at the edge of the table and smiles when he see me. "Morning, Faye. You hungry?" He chirps.

I nod and sit in a chair close to him. I hear the simmering of eggs in the kitchen. When the smell hits my nose, I'm starving.

I scan my surroundings. I couldn't shake off the feeling of uneasiness. I appreciate the kindness and warmth of this family. But they were strangers to me. I'm still baffled on why Nina and Nick are treating me like they known me for years. This kind of kindness is foreign to me. I don't know much about them. To be honest, I don't trust them at all. As of now they don't seem dangerous, at least Nina, Nick, and the kids don't. Felix, he is glaring at me right now, I can see as a problem. I refuse to let myself to be tricked. I return a glare back to Felix. I hate his treatment of me, he obviously dreads my presence here. He thinks I'm a burden and a danger. (Technically he's right, but he doesn't know who I am.) Nina serves me and the family platters of bacon and scrambled eggs. They smell delicious. I glance at the adjoined kitchen and examine it in awe. There is a coal black stove that astonishes me. It looks ancient and strange to me. Nearby, there is a odd looking fireplace with an opening. Fire dances and flicker inside it's mouth. My curiosity gets the best of me.

"Where do you get this kind of food from?" I blurt out.

Felix is the first to speak. "Why do you care? Just be happy, you're eating."

I narrow my eyes at Felix. "Well I ask, so I care." I says. I break my glare from Felix and turn my head to Nina. Nina sits close to Harlow at the other side of the table.

"I'm just wondering how you're able to get this much food." I explain.

"Well this is a ranch, sweetheart. You see…." Nina starts. Felix quickly chimes in. "Don't tell the girl everything." He scolds.

Nina ignores him and continues. "You see, sweetheart. Me and Nick, we're married and together we own this ranch. We have cows, pigs, veggies, fish, you name it," She takes a quick glance at the stove and fireplace. Nina lets out an amused chuckle. "Oh, I get it now. You probably never seen these kind of ovens and stoves before." She smiles. Nina then makes a gesture towards the girls. I catch Harlow taking a swift glimpse at me before lowering her eyes to her plate. The other girl is glowering at me suspiciously.

"Alexa," The other girl's head turns to Nina. "After breakfast, why don't you show Faye around the ranch?"

Alexa is the opposite of Harlow. She shakes her head in defiance. "I don't want to." She objects. "Can't Harlow do it?"

Nina's sweetness melts away at that moment. "Alexa, you will show Faye around the ranch, do you understand me?" She command.

Alexa rolls her eyes. "No, I don't understand." At that moment, Nina looks like she is seconds from exploding. Harlow's eyes flashes with concern, she stays quiet, watching Nina and Alexa's feud.

Nick senses Nina's anger and eases the tension in the air. "Let's just eat, everyone," He then makes a gesture to himself. "I'll show her around after I'm done with work. No problem."

Nina nods to her husband, but still rebukes her impetuous daughter. She speaks through her teeth. "After breakfast, Alexandria, you will show Faye around the house."

Alexa crosses her arms and refuses to look her Mother in the eyes, instead she scowls at me. "Don't touch anything while you're here." She orders me.

Nina isn't having none of this. She shoots out of her chair and points a stern finger towards the staircase. "UPSTAIRS!" She barks. Alexa gets out of her chair, still giving me a passing glare as she storms up the stairs.

 _What did I do?_ I think to myself. I have no idea why Alexa dislikes me. A loud door slam from upstairs shakes the house. Nina presses her lips together before shaking her head in annoyance. "Sometimes that girl…." Her voice drifts off. I eat my meal in silence, after I finish, Alexa returns to the table, sullen. Nick and Felix finishes their meals and heads out through the backdoor.

"Nina, me and Felix are going to chop up some wood and care for the animals!" Nick announces as he heads out the door. Sunlight shines in the dining room, the sounds of cows mooing emerges from the outside.

Nina turns to her young daughter with a grin. "Harlow, show Faye around the ranch," She turns her head to her eldest daughter with narrowed eyes. "Alexa and I need to talk."

Harlow didn't wait. "Yes, ma'am." She whispers. She gets out of her chair, makes her way towards me, and beckons me to the backdoor.

The air is hot and nice outside, the area is open and beautiful. Cows soak in a murky, oval shaped pond, pigs rolls away in mud inside their big pen, and a flock of chickens roams inside theirs. I take in my new surroundings with curiosity. I finally gets to see the house from the outside. It's more massive than I thought. It's abstract and modern looking. When I was with Mucker, I would look out the windows of the hospital and gaze at the housing nearby. This house reminds of those housings. It looks like someone decided to jam a wooden cabin and stone house together. It feels so surreal not being in a laboratory or a hospital for once.

"Do you like it here?" Harlow's voice is so soft, I barely hear her.

I nod. "Yes, it is very nice," I then hear some commotion in the distance. I turn my head to the right to see Felix with an axe firm in his hand and a chunk of wood in the other as he makes his way to a chopping block into a small fenced area, Nick saunter behind him.

Harlow grabs my wrist gingerly, getting my attention. "Faye, do….you...you want to go look around?" She stutters. I nod. With that, Harlow escorts me through the ranch. The sun bakes the earth, a cool breeze blows my hair back.

"You have a very nice home." I compliment. "I never been to a ranch before."

Harlow nods solemnly. "Thanks, Faye." Harlow suddenly starts to look me in the eyes. "Can I ask you a question?" She asks.

I nod.

"Where did you come from? Mommy and Daddy both said you came from the forest." A gleam of curiosity flashes in Harlow's eyes.

"I did, your Dad saved me and brought me here." I reply. Harlow raises an eyebrow. "No..I meant where did you come from? Where did you live before this?" She corrects.

Quickly I'm thinking of another lie. I lean on the wooden fence as I do. "I…..I…...lived in a….a small house in the woods." At that moment, I think of my old hospital and Mucker.

"Where?" Harlow urges.

"I….don't know. I...I've been moving all over the place with my group." I finally develop the perfect lie. "My group would go place to place."

Harlow seems satisfied with that answer. "Where's your group? Are you waiting for them?" A cow lets out a loud mooing in the background, stealing my attention for a second.

This time I can't think of a good lie to tell, so I change the subject. "How old are you?" I inquire.

"Eight." Then she screws up her face. "You didn't answer my question." She points out. I hear Felix and Nick chopping wood.

"I don't know, where they are." I lie. "I was looking for them after wandering off and then I got attacked."

Harlow's eyes softens. "Oh." She whispers. "I'm sorry. I…..I shouldn't ask that….that sounds really scary." Her voice shakes.

I change the subject once again, the sun is drying my skin out now. "Can you show me the rest of the house?" I ask. Quickly Harlow nods and takes my hand. When we enter the house, we are met with the argument between Alexa and Nina. Nina's yelling and Alexa's fussing and shouting echoes throughout the house.

We ignore them and Harlow escorts me to a fair sized bedroom upstairs. It's a tidy, well designed room. The fine wood of the floor gleams. The room has purple walls, organized shelves of books and small toys, a light pink bed with purple linen draped over it in the center of the room with stuffed animals piled up in the corner.

"Is this your room?" I ask.

Harlow shakes her head. "No, um…..Mommy said this is your new room."

My eyes widen. "Really?" I gasp shock.

"This use to be Alexa's old room, but Mommy said she's too old for this room and moved her." Harlow hops on her sister's bed. "She's really mad about it."

"She doesn't seem to like me." I comment. I pace around the room and pick up a fluffy teddy bear off the bed.

Harlow shrugs her shoulders. "She gets mad a lot. She hates her new room." I sit on the bed, it's so soft and comfortable. I think about Alexa for a quick moment. I don't know very well so I can't say I care for her. From what I seen, she doesn't like me and she's temperamental. That's it. My mind switches to Harlow. I actually like her. Her kindness to me doesn't make me feel uneasy. I like her mild and quiet nature.

"Faye, are you going to live here with us?" She asks.

"Your Mommy said I can."

Harlow gives me a happy smile. She's now comfortable in my presence. I get off the bed and peek out the small window, outside I see Felix and Nick still chopping wood in that little fenced area. I feel comfort and safety at last.

"Girl, wake up." Groggily, I wake up to the thick voice of Felix. He stands by my bed, locking me into a sharp glare. I turn my head to look out my window, it's midnight. The entire world is asleep.

"What do you want?" I hiss. I inch back in my bed. "I'll tell Nina and Nick, you're bothering me." I threaten.

"Why were you being chased by the Fireflies?" Felix demands bluntly. Immediately I grow rigid with fear. I'm flabbergasted, my eyes widen with shock. "What?" I mouth.

Felix scowls. "Cut the innocent shit, answer my question!" His voice is low and harsh, soft enough not to wake up the slumbering household.

He goes on with his rant. "I know you're full of bullshit, girl. Nick and Nina may see you as some sweet little orphan, but I know you're up to something."

My stomach begins to churns. I want this man to drop dead at this moment. "I….." Felix doesn't let me finish. The lone candle in my room casts his massive shadow. I prepare myself to scream to alert everyone in the house. I take in a deep breath. "Do it." Felix says. When he says that, my ready to go scream vanishes into my body.

"Scream, kid. Scream your lungs out until you can't scream no more. But I am taking back to the Fireflies. Now." Felix snarls. "If you scream, I'll just tell them the truth."

"I'm telling the truth!" I argue. "I'm not lying about anything!"

I keep babbling on. "Why are you here?" I demand.

Felix takes one step closer to me, his eyes cold and dark. I bare my teeth, I prefer not to attack him. I would make be seize instantly, due to my small stature. But if I have no choice. I brace myself for an attack of any kind.

"Nick didn't see them, but I did. I saw you running into that forest, girl. You weren't with no group traveling through the woods. You told us you just wandered off, but I saw you get chased."

I glare at Felix. "My group got attacked. And I ran off."

"I saw no group with you, it was just you and men geared up chasing you." He retorts. "I can sense a load of bullshit when I see it. I saw it all."

I refuse to stop lying. "You're crazy, I'm not lying. I told you, I was attacked. I wandered off from my group."

Felix then chortles. "Funny, you never mentioned any of their names. You've been for two full weeks and never said a peek about them. Cut the crap, I know you have something to do with those petty Fireflies. I want you out, you will not involve my family into your bullshit!"

I feel myself trembling, all lies are unraveling and there's nothing I can do. I need to infect this guy. I think hastily. All my muscles tense up to lunge out at him, but my mind keeps me stiff.

I'm frozen in my bed. Felix's eyes burn into mine, like a snake to a mouse. He towers over me with a dark scowl. Time seems to slow down. The house is dead silent, so silent I could hear my own frantic heartbeat. The air around me begins to thin.

Then my front door creak open slightly. Harlow steps into the room. Her hair is in a unkempt ponytail, she wears bright pink pajamas. Her eyes widen when she sees Felix.

"Uncle Felix?" She asks. "What are you doing?"

Felix whirls around, clearly taken aback. I notice his tone changes, it is soft and slow now. "Just talking, Harlow. Just go back to bed." He lied.

Harlow looks unconvinced, she squints. "Talking about what?"

"Just adult stuff, Harlow. I'm just checking up on Faye, to see if she likes it here." explains Felix. I shoot a glare into his direction. I definitely can't attack him now, not with Harlow as a witness.

"Why are you up so late, Harlow? You should be in bed." Felix gestures Harlow to leave the room.

Harlow lowers her eyes and clutches her hands. "I heard you two talking so…." Felix quickly interrupts her off. "So you were eavesdropping."

Harlow slowly nods her head. "Yes, sir." She admits.

I'm thankful for Harlow's indirect distraction. Quickly, an idea pops into my mind. "Harlow, wanna sleep with me tonight?" I asks in a bright voice.

Harlow's eyes flashes. "Really?" She says. I quickly nod my head. I notice Felix's furious glare towards me. I give him a wicked smile and beckon Harlow to come sleep with me. Felix can't seize me now, not with Harlow in the room.

Felix realizes what I'm doing and grimaces. He steps towards the door as his face darkens. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, Faye." He declares, giving one more glare before disappearing down the hallway.

 _ **Please leave reviews and thoughts. Please tell me, if Faye's character is good or poorly written, I'm trying to see what I'm doing with her character. Also tell me how you think of the other characters. Chapter 7 will come eventually. In the next chapter, Faye must use her wits to evade a suspicious Felix. She is willing to do anything to hide the truth. Anything at all.**_


	7. The Fallout

7.

* * *

I make sure I'm never in close range of Felix, I stay close to the other unsuspecting household. Felix was obviously a aggressive man, but I know he won't act violently towards me with his family nearby. I keep this up for several weeks, I take whatever opportunity I can to evade Felix. I would join Nina's many domestic chores, I would care for the animals with Nick, and I would play board games with Harlow. The only person I never follow is Alexa, she paid me no attention and strongly disliked me. Basically she's the tamer version of her uncle. Not to mention, all she ever does is read books and helps out her Uncle with the animals sometimes. So she's too boring and risky to follow.

I didn't confess what happened between me and Felix. That would just beg more questions if anything. Felix obviously keeps his mouth shut as well. He's not dumb, after a few days of me clinging to the others, he knows my game and leaves me alone. He still flashes me dark scowls and suspicious glares from time to time.

A month flew by and I'm assisting Nina in the kitchen on a late afternoon. I tighten the kid sized apron around my waist as Nina giggles in amusement. Nina stirs a wooden spoon into her vegetable stew., then she pulls it out and puts it in front of my face. I can feel hotness from the spoon.

"Wait until it cools down and taste it for me." Nina tells me.

I nod and wait for a full minute. Haltingly I stick out my tongue and taste it. Salty and bitter with a hint of spicy spices. The aftertaste was just awful. I didn't like it, but I force myself to smile.

"Is it good, Faye?" Nina inquires with a grin.

"Really good." I lie. Nina's face beams. "You should wash that spoon." I add. Nina nods in agreement and does. Then she stirs the stew once again.

If you hasn't noticed, I lie a lot. I feel guilt from time to time, but I just feel that's it necessary. I still can't say I trust these people, but as I lived among them, I grew to like them a bit. It's conflicting. I'm fake and I'm living off of lies. I appreciate Nina and her sweet tempered nature, I like Nick and his fluid personality, I like Harlow's friendship, I like having a roof over my head without being forced to be "tested."

 _What about my sanity?_ That thought plagues my mind. I keep reliving my escape. I haven't experience any signs of my insanity. At least yet. I feel paranoia linger in me. _What if I miss a sign? What if there is no sign and I go crazy? How will they deal with me?_

Frightening imagery floods my little mind. I imagine myself being shot or brutally stabbed. Maybe Nick use his crossbow and end me. Tremors riddles my body. I feel guilty, but only slightly. My life is on the line, there's one me in the world.

Nina notices my shaking, her eyes widens. "Faye, are you okay?" She cry.

I nod my head and lie through my teeth. "I'm fine. I'm just cold."

Nina is not convinced. She presses her lips and places a cool hand on my forehead. "Really warm," She whispers. "You're shaking like a leaf, Faye and you're a little hot. Go take a nap, sweetie." With that, Nina points a strict finger towards the staircase.

"No, I'm fine, Nina!" I protest. Nina narrows her eyes and gingerly grabs my wrist. She makes her way to the stair, tugging me along. She releases my wrist and beckons me to my bedroom. "Bed now. I'll make you some warm soup and milk." I'm tempted to scowl, but I don't. I march upstairs and go into my room, closing the door behind me. "After your nap and snack, you can just relax!" Nina calls out.

...

Instead of going to bed, I look out my bedroom window and spot Harlow and her Father conversing outside. It's a beautiful day, serene and quiet. I enjoy the warmth and comfort of the house. I suddenly feel drowsy and I slip into my bedsheets, listening to the chirping of birds. An hour passes and I hear a knock on the door and I expect Nina to enter. Felix jerks the door open with his perpetual scowl. He carries a tray with my soup and milk. The air becomes tight, my heart thunders in my chest.

"What do you want?" I gasps. Felix puts the tray on my dresser and grimaces.

Felix doesn't answer my question. He takes one step closer to me and towers over me. "Enough of the shit, Firefly bitch!" He barks.

I eye the door, hoping Nina will hear the commotion and barge in to save me. But she doesn't. I'm ready to defend myself. I bare my teeth.

"Stay back!" I growls.

Felix rolls his eyes. "Nina is not here to save you, Faye. She's busy with the girls right now. It's only me. I told her that I would take you on a little hunting trip."

"Nina wouldn't agree with that!" I protest. _Would she?_ I shake my head as I fight myself in my mind.

I have enough of this nonsense. A small smile forms on my face. _A hunting trip is good idea. No witnesses, no Harlow, no Nina or Nick or Alexa. I can just infect Felix and blame it on an infected! Yes!_ Felix sees my smile and appears disturbed.

"Okay, Felix. I'll go on your little hunting trip." I say softly.

Felix looks at me for a long time with a perplexed expression. Guessing he thought I put up a fight. But I don't, Felix's keen eyes stalks me as I grab a nearby purple backpack and packs some clothes from the dresser. I get one good look in the mirror to see if my clothes were suitable for the weather. I find myself wearing striped shirts and cute skorts a lot. Nina loves it, when she first saw me wear a girly outfit, she beamed with glee and even offered to let me wear makeup. I didn't understand what she was talking about when she was complaining about Harlow being a "tomboy." I honestly don't know what a "tomboy"is. But apparently I'm not a "tomboy."

When I'm done packing, I swing on my backpack, slip in my leather boots, and make my way to Felix with a grin. I can tell from Felix's face, he knows something is up, but he just can't figure it out.

"Come on." He orders.

...

The woods is thick with life. I admire the beauty of the woods with awe. I follow Felix deep into the woods, I would have attacked him by now if he wasn't armed with a shotgun and a few hunting knives. I wait for the perfect moment to strike in vain, Felix periodically looks at me awhile he walks. His eyes never seem to leave me. Felix may be a bastard, but he's not dumb. I pass the time by asking a question.

"Why did you lie to Nina?"

Felix glares at me, his footsteps cracks twigs on the ground. "Nina doesn't need to know the truth." He said curt.

"But you do?" I insist. Felix gives me his scowl. "You lied to me as well, Firefly girl. You lied to everyone, just get a warm bed." He hiss.

I narrow my eyes, becoming angry. "I didn't lie! I wandered off." I flare.

Felix rolls his eyes. "You are full of bullshit."

"You're full of bullshit too. You lied to Nina and let "me", a supposedly dangerous girl to live with you!" I'm inches away from losing my temper.

"I didn't let anything happen. I was even willing to let you die out here when Nick shot that damn thing. You were and still are none of our business. But lucky for you, my brother is a dumbass." Felix explains harshly.

I ball up my fists. I can't help but feel offended. I didn't like how rude Felix was to Nick. "Nick is not a dumbass, he saved me. He's better than you!" I say loudly.

Felix stops in his tracks and I do the same. His eyes pierces into me. "Shut up before you attract some of those Infected!" He growls in a low voice. "Now shut the fuck up and walk. Don't try anything funny, I won't hesitate dragging your ass to the Fireflies!"

I'm glowering now, unbridled rage boils in my stomach. At this point, I wouldn't mind going insane right now.

I decide I'm now going to attack Felix, he gives me another glare before turning around. His back is to me, I bare my teeth, I ready my nails. I make sure to walk slowly and cautiously now. My heart races like never before. _Now this is it._

Then a powerful force flings me to the ground. I hear my own bloodcurdling scream, I hit the ground so hard, I didn't even feel the impact.

Felix only glances at me briefly, then he fires a round in the direction of someone far away. A burning sensation surges through me, sharp pain makes me convulse in agony. Fear flows through me. I didn't know where I was shot at. I didn't even see who shot me.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARDS!" The intensity in Felix's voice makes my flinch. My flinching alone makes me dizzy and weak.

"You son of a bitch!" A man's voice cries out, I hear fireworks of bullets. Felix is nimble for his size and dives the ground. Crawling to me, he roughly pulls my arm forward and keeps me close, dragging me. I see blood on his gray shirt and I know it's mine.

I hear the footsteps of the attackers, they seem to be far away but close. Felix ducks his head as he drags me to a nearby tree.

"YOU KILLED MY FRIENDS, YOU ASSHOLE!"

Felix swiftly reloads his shotgun and aims it. "Well you're joining!" He fires a boom round that echoes through the woods. Seconds after the shots, I hear a muffled thud in the distance.

A sudden popping sound terrifies me and then I watch Felix jerk in pain. He lets out a sharp cry as he places a frantic hand onto his now bloody left shoulder. "SHIT!" He howls. He instantly dives to the ground and reloads.

Felix continues to fire shots, I can't see the action from where I am and I'm too weak to get up. So I listen attentively to the popping of the gun war beside me. I feel so light, everything feels so surreal now. I mean at one point, I'm safe and warm, and now I'm cold, unsafe, and helpless.

Felix is not a quitter, he shoots and shoots until he can't shoot no more. I keep hearing fatal shots and the sounding of bodies dropping to the ground in the distance. He periodically ducks for cover and automatically fires when the time is right. I'm nothing but impressed.

I'm not even sure if I want Felix to die right now.

Suddenly the gun fire ceases, Felix aims his gun, but doesn't fire. His breathing is rough and slow. He shakes the gun and lets out a angry groan. "Damn it!" He murmurs.

He barks at someone. "YOU THINK YOU'RE TOUGH? SHOOTING A FUCKING KID!"

I hear crackly footsteps approaching. I hear at least two pairs of feet.

I hear one of their voices, he sounds young and panic stricken. "Please don't shoot, man. I…..I…..we wasn't shooting at her! I'm so sorry, man!" He pleads. Felix backs up slightly, the two men come in my side view. From what, I see, they're both dark haired and tall and wearing plain, dirty clothes. One is tan brown and the other is pale as ghost. The pale one holds up his hands, trembling like a leaf. He looks like someone who would make anyone feel pity for him. Not Felix. Felix is not fazed by this and he aims his gun directly into his face. The pale one trembles erratically, his eyes bulged.

"So you were shooting at me!" Felix flares. "I should kill you right now. You're lucky you got your hands up!"

The tan one is calm, but his voice still cracks. "We're sorry, our guys just went a little crazy. We're looking for someone." He explains.

"And I give shit?" Felix mocks. "Why the fuck were you shooting at me?"

 _Are they Fireflies?_ I ask myself. I want to ask the question aloud, but my throat is dry as a bone.

The pale one's voice becomes shrill. "I don't know, man! I didn't shoot, okay! I….I….was just the lookout, okay! Look, man, don't kill me please! I…..I'll do anything!"

Felix is quiet for a moment. I muster enough strength to lean my head forward to the scene. The pale one's wide eyes catches a glimpse of me. His mouth flies open. "Is she okay?" He whispers haltingly.

Felix lowers his gun and takes a step closer to the pale one. "Does she look okay? Who are you? What type of group shoots kids?" He snarls.

The pale one's words were rushed and frantic. "James! My name is James!" He darts his head towards the tan one. "This is Tim! We're….apart of the Fireflies! We were looking for this project that escaped not long ago! We….we just…..joined….man…..look….but….I'll do whatever you want, man. Just please don't kill me!"

"Project?" Felix raises an eyebrow. "What project?" My heart pounds with apprehension. Bitterness swells in my inside. They're talking about me. My right side is caked with crimson, it soaks my dark skort and ruins my white shirt. "I...don't know….we weren't told much! We're new! I was just told to look out for guys like you with guns. But then one of the guys shot her and then all this happened!" James gasps hysterically.

Felix shoots me a look I can't read. Then he turns back to the men. "Take me and her to the Fireflies now!" He orders.

 _NO! NO! THIS IS NOT HOW IT'S SUPPOSE TO BE! I WAS SUPPOSE TO ATTACK FELIX! NOT THIS! NO!_

James and Tim nods at the same time. "We have a ride, our zone is far away." James explains.

Felix makes his way to me. "What happened to your old one? Isn't there one close around here?"

This time Tim speaks. "It got ran down by some Infecteds a while back after that incident with the project. That project thing fucked up everything after it left, apparently."

Felix just nods and picks me up and makes me stand up. I want to fight back, but my muscles are stiff. I feel like I'm back in time right now. My healing factor is working, but it's too slow. My body is still feeling twinges.

Felix keeps me straight by positioning me with his hands on my shoulders. I feel a pang of fright when I don't see his scowl or glare. He isn't smiling, but he's not frowning either. Blank faced, he walks away from me slowly. "Walk," He orders solemnly. He glares at the quivering men and pulls out a hunting knife and brandishes it. "Where's the car?" James points a shaky finger forward and we're off.

The world becomes smaller as I trudge along. Breathing seems to get harder, every step I make seems to get heavier and heavier.

"Is she going to be okay?" I hear the small voice of James.

Then I stop and watch the world become blurry. "FAYE!" Felix 's cry breaks through the air. I hear Infected's croaking nearby. Then I see nothing but darkness.

 _ **8 will come out soon. Please post reviews and thoughts. What do you think of Faye, Harlow, Nina, Nick, or Felix? I hope you enjoyed.**_


	8. Winters

8.

 **(Since I am fairly busy with other things and I'm suffering from a writer's block. I have no time to write a full page story of chapter 8, I wrote this awhile back and this was originally going to be the 3 chapter, but I decided against that idea. Chapter 9 will involve Faye and the rest of the characters, these characters in this chapter will be important to the plot of the story. I changed the name of the story to The Infection and changed the description as well. Please enjoy the story and leave reviews. This is a history paper of the ongoing of the FMG. I won't give much away, don't worry. But this will be a slight backstory until 9 comes.)**

 _ **My reflective reports/notes**._

 _It's been years since the program of FMG (The Fungal Mutation Generation) finally managed to successfully create two healthy fungal subjects. These subjects are called R-100 and the other one is named C-101. Two separate subjects born from two different surrogate Mothers._ _The surrogates did not survive the process, the children's infections ended up indirectly infecting them and killing them. R-100's mother died before she could give birth, members were forced to kill the mother as she eventually turned._

 _No women survives the pregnancies and there has been cases where the child wouldn't survive either. FMG plays with chances. The program gathers and influences young, impoverished, fertile women to become surrogates. If a woman refuses to take part, then she is allowed to leave. The impregnation is a volunteerism task, no women are forced. First, doctors and scientists implements a piece of fungus onto a frozen embryo and implants it into the female's reproductive organs. This process has a 10% chance of being successful. The mothers are subjected to extreme monitoring and hourly check ups by psychologists, nutritionists, and physicists up until she gives birth. R-100 and C-101's surrogate Mothers went to through the same process, both ended horribly._

 _The doctors produced a c-section on the dead surrogate Mothers to retrieve R-100 and C-101. Families of the birth mothers were righteously furious and many even deserted the Fireflies. The two newborns were cared and provided for by midwives for the right amounts of months a infant requires until it is independent. Once the subjects grew into small children, they were sent to the laboratory to be researched and studied closely._

 _R-100 's physical appearance is normal for a little girl. She inherited her biological Mother's straight copper hair, fair skin, heart shaped face, and green eyes. Her Mother was never able to properly name her, so the researchers simply called her Red, due to her hair._ _C-101's appearance however doesn't not resemble a normal child. His mutated DNA left him disfigured and hideous. He has the stature and body of a child, but he has scale like features on parts of his body, the left side of his face is covered with gruesome facial blotches. His face resembles the appearance of a burn victim. The other half of his skin is fairly normal. He inherited his Mother's recessive genes of black hair and blue eyes. His surrogate mother shared the similar fate as R-100's, but unlike R-100's, C-101's mother was able to name him Xander._

 _R-100 and C-101 are apart of the 1% percent survivors of the project. Years before, there were approximately nine successful subjects and the rest failed. But those subjects became defective and unstable, members of the program had to execute the subjects when they were beyond reconciliation._

 _The leaders of this program is me, Rick Winters, and my late brother, Robert Winters, two scientists who wanted to find a way to adapt to this environment. Even though we were identical twins and dearly close to one another, we had vastly different goals for the project. Robert sought a brand new generation of advanced, immune humans who could overcome this Infected world. I was neutral towards my brother's goals, but I believed the FMG had major potential. I was intrigued by the concept of advanced humans. We were both inspired by their late mentor, a former member of the Fireflies named Daniel Mucker. A passionate researcher who desired for a cure for the infection. I remember how much Mucker expressed his thoughts on if a human can survive the fungal infection and if a cure is possible. One day, Mucker abandoned the Fireflies and took a few former members along with him. That was the last time me and Robert saw or heard of him again. Eventually, we began this program when we reached our late twenties and managed to recruit many supporters and members._

 _Then Robert Winters was gruesomely bitten by one of the subject named A-9, a young child that we created whom Robert saw as a daughter. A-9 became feral and deadly, she infected Robert in a unexpected fit of rage along with many scientists and onlookers nearby. Robert had to be executed in order not to turn. I ordered A-9 to be thrown into the pits full of the Infected the Fireflies captured to study and A-9 was slaughtered instantly._ _I continued the experiment and after many failed attempts, R-100 and C-101 were born years later. My goals shifted from my brother's and I was determined to make the subjects into powerful bio weapons. I took precautions and made sure to devoid the children's nurturement and humanity. I wanted them to be unfeeling and ruthless, but I also desired obedience. The children had different personalities, R-100 was silent and aloof, she rarely showed or expressed emotions. C-101 was cold and grim, rarely quiet. I keep the two young subjects in sterile rooms to separate them. C-101 shows signs of extreme bitterness and envy towards R-100, so I think it's best to keep them apart._

 _I hired individuals with talents of combat, from martial arts to gun training to military tactics. Anything to make R-100 and C-101 physically advanced. I have so many plans for them. I studied the subjects' abilities and discovered the two had similar traits. Healing factors, the ability to infect a subject, and immunity. But they were still vastly different from each other. R-100 was lighter in size and weight, she was nimble and athletic, avid in the arts of stealth and stamina. She has this ability to disperse fungus from her body to infect those around her and other combative abilities, I ordered scientists to give her a serum to prevent her dispersing for everyone's safety. C-101 did not hold a candle to R-100 when it came to physical abilities. Instead he is better with his mouth and brain, he had good integrity compared to R-100. I am so proud of myself for being able to produce this biologically engineered generations. If Mucker were here, he would be praising me excessively._

 _One day we will create more and more._

 _Rick Winters._


	9. The Blood of a Firefly

9.

* * *

My healing factor is slow, but effective. I gingerly touch my side, my clothes dry with dark blood. I trace my finger on my tingling scars on my once open gash. I lay in the backseat of the van, pretending to be asleep. I listen to Felix's threats and barks to the Fireflies members he forced to escort us to the Fireflies base.

It's night time now and we are driving on a rocky pathway through the woods, the headlights of the van lights up our path. I yearn to return to the house. I miss my warm, cozy bed. I want Nina's cooking, I want to play with Harlow. But instead I'm here. Wounded, cold, and doomed.

I think about how I'm going to get myself out of this. I can't return to the Fireflies. No! I'll be tested again. Fear seeps through my veins, tears swell up in my eyes.

I think about how I'm going to explain my healing wound, they'll know something is wrong when they see my sudden scars.

My heart races at that thought. I wonder if Felix would react if he saw me. Felix is too occupied, frightening James in the front seat, Felix holds a loaded gun to James' head as James drives. In his words; he doesn't want James to get any funny ideas. Tim, the other member silently sits behind Felix. He doesn't seem to be afraid of Felix as much as his quivering friend. "How far is this place?" Felix demands.

James stutters. "A few miles….we'll be there in a hour or two." Felix lets out a unsatisfied grunt, but doesn't say anything back. The car ride is silent for a while, until I hear Felix's sudden cry. I jolt up in my seat to see Tim with a gun in his hand, Felix clutches his head in pain, leaning forward.

Tim aims the gun at a unarmed Felix, breathing heavily, James turns his head and abruptly stops the car in it's tracks. Everyone is jerked because of the stop. Tim grits his teeth. "You ready to die, old man?" He mocks.

James's eyes are wide as saucer. "Bro, what the fuck are you doing?" He cry aghast. He reaches a hand out to get the gun from Tim's grip. Tim yanks it out his range. "No way, man. This bastard," Tim aims the gun once again at Felix. "He killed all of our men back there, then he kidnapped us!" He declares.

"You shot at me and you shot a little girl, you little bitch." Felix growls.

Tim scowls. "And?" He checks to see if the gun is actually loaded.

"Tim, stop! We got a kid in the car. We can't shoot this guy!" James protest. Tim shoots a crossed look to James. "And?" He repeats. Then he adds bitterly. "She's not our problem. After we're done with this, we just put her out of her mercy, she is clearly dying." With that, Tim fires a round at Felix. Felix is lucky, Tim narrowly misses his head, the bullet flies and shatters the car window. With an angry cry, Felix pounces on Tim like a wild animal, Tim is no match for Felix with his slim stature, Felix launches a fleet of punches into his face. The gun falls out of Tim's hand and onto to floor. James' cries for peace is ignored as I watch in silence. Tim is squirming violently, vainly trying to land a punch onto Felix's body. They tussle and wrestle like two wild dogs.

James attempts to break up the fight, by grabbing a handful of Felix's shirt, distracting him for a second. Tim takes this distract and socks Felix's jaw. Felix lets out a sharp cry, Tim jumps on top of Felix, grabbing one of his hunting knives.

"STOP!" James shouts. "We have a kid in the car with us! Come on, man!"

Tim tightens his grip on the hunting knife he takes and glances at me. His eyes lock onto mine. I'm not sure what to do. Do I let this guy kill Felix? And if I do, what will happen to me? Felix lands a sudden punch to Tim's face, nearly knocking the knife out of his hand. "YOU FUCKING PIECE…" He barks. His face is red and full of rage. He proceeds to put a thrashing Tim into a headlock. I think the scuffle is over until Tim bends his arm backwards, jamming the knife blade into Felix's already wounded left shoulder. Felix lets out a agonized cry, losing his grip on Tim. Tim slips away and yanks the knife out of Felix's shoulder. Felix screams in agony. Tim is quick and he manages to find the gun. My mind is racing now, the air is tense and high. This is too much. Without thinking, I leap from my seat and pounce on Tim. Screaming my head off, I claw my nails into Tim's skin, leaving red marks. Tim swiftly elbows me in the chin and grabs me by the hair. With a cry, he flips me onto the car window, flinging the knife out of his hand in the process. I'm stunned for a moment, Felix lunges at him, but I'm too quick. Within a second, I'm on top of Tim again and I bury my teeth into his neck.

Tim screams and I realize what I have done. I can't let them know what I am. Tim gives me a sharp slap to the face, the slap is so hard that I nearly fall off the seat. "YOU STUPID BITCH!" He places a hand on his neck.

Felix launches another punch towards Tim's head, but Tim narrowly dodges it, spinning. Tim whirls around and aims the gun directly into my face. My entire body becomes stiff and apprehensive. I don't move a muscle. Tim turns his head to Felix. "Hit me one more time," He threatens. "And I'll shoot your little girl!" James winces horrified. "What the fuck, man?" He cries out. He is frozen with fear and anxiety, it's obvious he has no idea what's going on anymore. I think fast and blindly grope for a weapon. I quickly find the hunting knife and I waste no time using it. With a wild scream, I impale the knife into Tim's throat. Blood flows out of his neck immediately, he instantly becomes limp and silent. I watch the life leak out of his quivering eyes. I let go of the knife and Tim falls off the seat and then he dies.

I'm breathless, gasping for air as I slump back in my seat. The air stinks with fresh blood. Felix stares at me with a horrified expression on his face. James retches and throws up in the front seat. "Oh...my….god…." He croaks weakly. Felix examines his wound. "James," He say with urgency. "Help me, carry this bastard out of here." James doesn't resist, I lean my throbbing head on the car window as Felix and James drags Tim's corpse out the van. I'm safe from suspicion, as long as the subject is deceased, the infection will not turn him. I breathe heavily, I taste Tim's blood in my mouth.

Felix and James head into the woods to throw away Tim's body and I'm all alone.

Then I hear something in the distance. The sound of a car. I look through the backseat window and I see the headlights of another dark van, approaching straight for the one I'm in. My mind becomes paranoid. _Fireflies! I need to get out of here!_ I scream in my head. I jump into the driver seat and grab the wheel. I ignore the vile odor of vomit, hitting my nostrils. I'm barely fit in this seat, it's too big and high for my size. I see the car keys in the ignition and without a thought, I turn it swiftly. The car comes alive with a roar, in the rear view mirror, I see the van venturing closer.

"FAYE! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Felix's voice breaks through the air. I see that he is alone, his head darts ahead and he picks up speed. He dashes inside the van, breathing heavily. I look in the rear view mirror once again and I see the van behind us, men with guns comes out slowly.

I feel Felix grabbing my shoulder, but it's too late. I slump deeply into my seat and hit one of the pedals blindly. The van vooms at top speed, I shriek as I drive clumsily. Felix frantically tries to claw at the steering wheel as the van bumps and jerks.

"LET GO OF THE DAMN WHEEL!" he barks. I don't, I honestly don't know how. I keep speeding and zigzagging, barely missing the edge of the path. Felix snatches the wheel and turns it, he turns it too fast, and we crash into a nearby ditch. I feel dizzy, the world is darkening once again. My face is pressed on the steering wheel, activating the deafening horn. I glimpsed at Felix, broken glass from the now shattered window is everywhere. Felix is covered with red cuts and so am I.

I hear the footsteps of marching feet. I try to pull myself up, but instead I just faint.

 _ **10\. will come eventually. Please leave reviews and thoughts.**_


	10. Rejection

10.

* * *

I open my eyes to find myself in a hospital bed. I feel the tubes and needles in my arms. I hear the annoying loud beeping of a machine near me. Men and women swarm me, wearing white coats and sterile masks on their mouths. A woman looks down at me and notifies the others of my consciousness. All their eyes are glued on me. Their eyes gleams with oddness, my mind races with anxiety. The same woman turns her head away and alerts someone else far out of my sight. "Faye is awake, Dr. Winters. We can begin the testing." She say. I begin to tremble, I want to scream, but I'm speechless. My heart pounds, bile travels up my throat, my head is beginning to throb.

A man in a gray lab coat walks into my line of sight. He is a thin, but stocky man with slick black hair, a lightly shaved dark beard, pale blue eyes, and olive skin. His eyes pierces into mine, trapping me into his icy stare. A chill runs down my spine when his lips suddenly forms a broad smile. He turns to the others and orders them to leave the room. They obey without protest and I'm all alone with him. "Hello, Faye. I have always wanted to meet you." His voice is warm and genial. But I can sense something is off about him. I notice his eyes are still cold and narrow.

"You were out for a while." He conversates. He scrolls over to me and hovers over me. I'm shaking like a leaf. I'm baffled by all of this.

I force myself to speak. "Who are you?" I croak.

"Winters. Rick Winters. I'm sure Mucker told you about me, he was my mentor long ago."

I feel a pang of hurt when I hear my creator's name, but I swallow it like a bitter pill. Mucker never told me about this man. Mucker rarely would talk about his personal life, so I know very little about his past. Deep down, I know I'm caught, but I decide to lie.

"Who is Mucker?" I ask dumbly. I make sure my face appears innocent.

"Your creator. The one you killed in a fit of rage," Winters' smile turns into a grim smirk. He can read through my lies. So I give up, becoming annoyed.

"What….do...you want?" I demand.

"I want to get to know you, Faye. You are a miracle," He bends down to me. "You are the human embodiment of the Cordycep fungus. I am so honored meeting such an amazing specimen." He beams.

"Why am I here?" Fear leaves me and I'm full of defiance. Winters is not fazed by this and he continues. "Like I said before, sweetheart. I want to get to know you. And I also want to show you my little projects." He explains.

"Right now?" I blurt out. I nearly smile when I imagine my opening. Winters nods his head.

"Yes, now." He reply. Then he briskly walks over to a counter and opens a cabinet. He pulls out a muzzle.

I walk with Winters, muzzled and angry, through a narrow hallway. We head into a elevator and we are whisked to the lowest level of the building. The doors slide open and we are walking through a dimly lit hallway.

Winters tries to make small talk with me. "So Faye, who was that man you were with?" He asks nonchalantly.

I talk before I think. "Felix." My voice is muffled by my muzzle.

Winters nods his head. "Yes, Felix." He echoes. "Is he your friend?" He speaks slowly and condescendingly. I shake my head. "No." I say hollow. I wasn't sure if I missed him or not. But I rather be with Felix than this guy! I desire to bite him so badly. I already abhor his existence. Felix pops into my mind and I'm terrified for him. "Where is he?" I asks.

"He's fine. Resting on the fourth floor." Winters answers. I'm conflicted on if he's lying or telling the truth. I'll never know. We finally stop at the sight of wide steel doors in front of us. Winters digs in the pockets of his coat and pulls out a pair of silver keys. He scrolls to the doors and unlocks it, he pushes the doors open and I gasp.

The room is spacious and sterile with white walls and gray floors. The lights from the room is bright, illuminating the once dark hallway.

"Come." Winters' voice snaps me out my gaze, he grabs my wrist before I could do anything. He tugs me gingerly inside the room. It's almost like I'm in another building, we travel down another corridor, doors with windows are everywhere. I'm able to catch glimpses of strange looking devices inside the bright rooms. From what I see, it appears to be round orbs with vivid liquid inside of them, hooked up to a rusty machine. I see this in most of the rooms we pass.

Winters tightens his grip on my wrist when I tried to pull away. I stop struggling when he begins to hurt my wrist with his iron grip.

I'm amazed how massive this area was. So amazed, I'm actually curious about what Winters wanted to show me. We head down a fleet of stairs and enter a pathway, this one has no walls, just floors and the air is thick and foul smelling. I look down below at the darkness under me, I hear the moans and growls of Infected. I hear the clicking of Clickers, the wails of the Stalkers and Runners and the inhuman roars of a bloater.

Suddenly we stop in the middle of the pathway, with the cries of the Infected escalating in the background. Winters flashes me a wide grin and I take a cautious step back. He gestures towards the Infected below. "This isn't what I want to show you, but I think this may be very interesting for your little mind. You see Faye, we at the FMG, study the Infected precisely and close. We capture them in traps and examine them. Take samples and see how they interact with others."

I raise a eyebrow. "What is FMG?" I asks. Winters takes a sudden step closer to me and I think that he's going to haul me off the pathway. He doesn't and instead puts a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Fungal Mutation Generation, Faye." Winters elucidate. "Faye, I seek a future of a stronger generation. Nowadays, fear is the only thing that keeps you alive. Humans are limited from being advanced. You are not. You can infect others, you can heal. You have so much potential to be something great. Don't you think that there should be more like you?"

I'm speechless. I choose silence as my answer.

"Faye," Winters' eyes burns intensely into mine. His voice is grave and harsh. "Mucker created you for a purpose. He desire something impossible. There will never be a cure for this world. We need stronger children, we need advancement. Mucker was a wise man, a man who I respect. But he dreamt a pointless dream. His mind was poisoned with ideals and hope. I made people like you. Better and progressive."

I blink my eyes in confusion. _I made people like you_. His words floods my mind. I feel a mixture of numbness and shock. I continue to stay silent. Excitement dances in Winters' eyes. He tugs me once again through the pathway and we enter a large chamber, there are only two steel doors, one on the right and the other one on the left. Winters pulls out his keys once again and infiltrate the right door.

My eyes meets a girl, wearing drab clothing. She looks very young, she reminds me of Harlow. She was taller than Harlow, but she is one foot shorter than me. Her hair is the lively color of a penny, she has a heart shaped face, green eyes, and fair skin. Her face is stiff and expressionless, she is perched on her little bed, her blank eyes stares at us. She is silent and still. Her stare is unsettling, I feel uneasy and I'm eager to leave. But Winters is blocking my way. He gestures towards the girl. "Faye, this is R-100. One of our success experiments. She has the same abilities you possess. Possibly even more advanced. She possess great speed, stamina, and hand to hand combat. She heals at a accelerating rate. She can disperse fungus from her body and so much more! She's the prime example of perfection." Winters explains in a proud voice.

When he say this, my mind flashbacks to my escape. I have the similar ability of dispersing fungus from my body, but I just don't know how to activate it.

"Is she stable?" I ask abruptly.

Winters quickly nods. "Yes! We had many failures, but thankfully R-100 have been proven to be fit to function."

We stand in the room for a full minute, Winters talks to me, but I'm barely listening. I'm too busy being stared at by R-100. Soon enough, she finally releases me from her stare and lays down on her bed.

We then go to next room and I'm approached with the sight of a young boy with a hideous face. Scaly and full of reddish blisters. One side of his face was fairly normal, but his left side is terrifying. He is taller than me and thin. His hair is dark and straight. His blue eyes flashes at the sight of me. Unlike R-100, this kid greets me brightly. He approaches me and extends out a hand to me with a crooked smile. "My name is C-101, some folks calls me Xander. What's your name, muzzle mouth?" His tone is upbeat and brisk. I don't shake his hand, but I do speak. "Faye." I croak.

He turns his head to Winters. "When's my training?" He inquires.

Winters stares directly into C-101's eyes. He's no longer smiling, he is scowling. "Enough, C-101." He orders harshly. "You'll know when it's time to train." I observe Winters' sudden shift in personality. Now he's grim and unpleasant, his coldness is directed to this boy.

C-101 continues to be genial. He shrugs lazily. "Fine, Winters," With that, C-101 leans over and nudges Winters lightly. "So you gonna introduce me like you did to Red? Or do I have to do it myself?" Winters only glares at him in bitter silence.

"Red?" I say confused.

" That's R-100, some of the members here call her Red. You know because of her red hair." C-101 elucidate.

C-101 then shrugs his shoulders once again. "Well again my name is C-101, I'm the second one who was born in this project. I have the same abilities as Red does," He takes a curious step close to me. "What's your abilities? You're obviously one of us, Winters wouldn't bring you down if you wasn't."

I open my mouth to speak, but Winters interrupts me rudely. "C-101 is our least perfect subject. He failed to be the true form we, at the FMG, thrived for. He needs refinement and structure. He lacks the precise traits I hoped he would possess." Winters say coldly.

C-101 narrows his eyes, giving Winters a icy look. I can sense the tension in the air and I want to go.

"Where's Felix?" I blurt out.

Winters' eyes lights up. He seems eager to leave as well. "I will show you. Come." With that we shuffle our way out of the room, leaving C-101 alone.

It is a exhausting, long walk back to the entrance. I ponder on how they built a place like this. I'm breathless by the time we reach the elevator. We make it to the fourth floor and Winters leads me to a crack open door. The room reminds me of my testing room back at the Firefly base I escaped from. Felix lays in his hospital, deep in slumber, bandaged and stitched up. His skin is sickly pale, tubes are hooked to his left arm, his crimson blood fills the tubes. IVS are linked to him, a beeping machine is nearby. I worry that he was dying.

A nurse with straight black hair hovers over him, examining him. Her dark eyes are slit and piercing, her eyes flicks at the sight of us standing the doorway.

"The man is doing fine. The wreck just injured him, there is no internal bleeding. We managed to sedate him and care for his wounds." The nurse notifies to Winters. Winters simply nods.

I think of James. What happened to him? Did Felix kill him in the woods? Did we leave him in the woods? I didn't trust James at all because he is a Firefly member, but he was the only person with kindness in his heart when Tim went rogue.

"Let the man rest until he's ready to move. I'll talk to him when he does." Winters say. I raise an eyebrow. "What are you going to do with me?" I ask.

Winters gives me a smile before he opens his mouth. "Are you hungry? You can stay here until your friend heals up." He offers warmly. I'm taken back by his shifts in personality. One moment, he's affable, next, he's dour and cold. Felix was at least consistent with his temperament. I would resist, but I couldn't do anything. He takes my hand and escorts me to the large mess hall. Members of the Fireflies swarm the place, sitting at tables, eating from their plastic plates. The room is wide enough to fit at least a hundred people, there are long tables, dining cars lines up in the background, hairnet wearing women serves food to the lined up members. I'm served a handful of rice, a warm loaf of bread, and a glass of milk.

I try to lose Winters and try to shuffle away from him, but he's on my heel. I sit down at a random table and Winters sits right next to me. At first, I'm pissed. Then I realize my chance.

"Can you take off my muzzle, please?" I ask, making my voice sweet as sugar.

Winters nods. "Sure, Faye." He say nonchalantly. He releases me from the thing and smiles at me. I'm seconds away from infecting him, but then I notice something. There's dozens eyes on me. Eyes with loaded guns surrounds me. I glare at the smiling Winters. I want to kick myself for being so stupid.

I eat my food with a fork and a frown.

As I eat, I decide to conversate with Winters. "What was Mucker like?" I ask in a small voice.

Winters looks up at the ceiling and takes a deep breath before answering. "Intelligent. Highly intelligent. Calculating, precise, and dutiful. He taught me everything I know. My brother and I both were taught by him." Winters explains.

"Your brother?" I inquire.

"Robert, he was my partner. My closest companion. Before he passed, we worked hard on this program. We wanted so much for this world."

"How did he die?"

"Bitten by one of our failed experiment." He laments. His eyes lowers to the floor and I eat the rest of my meal.

Felix doesn't wake up after I finish my meal and I'm sent to a small hospital room in the pediatrics area. I lay in my hospital bed, gazing at the colorful, childish art on the light yellow walls. Guards are outside my door, to make sure I don't attack anyone. It is night time, moonlight slightly illuminates my room.

When I daydream in my spare time, I think of Harlow and her parents. I wonder how they're doing. Felix told them me and him were going on a hunting trip. But we've been gone way too long. They're probably panicking right now.

I think about the two children I met and I find myself wondering. Why did Winters comment so much about Red's abilities? I think confused. What are C-101 and R-100's purpose?

I know my purpose. Mucker told me long before I killed him. My purpose was to be the cure. But his dream was flawed. I thought about my meaning for a long time. I'm not the cure, far from it. I can't get infected, but I still carry the infection inside me. I am the infection in human form. Mucker's ideals and hope killed him before I did. I wish I told him that before I infected him.

R-100's stone face pops in my face and I feel a pang of uneasiness. I just yearn to go back to the family's house.

...

I'm shaken awake by the same nurse who cared for Felix in the early morning. Sunlight permeates the room. The nurse gives a tray with sliced apples and a glass of milk.

"Hello, dear." She greets me with a warm smile. I eat my breakfast as the nurse makes small talk with me. "My name is Nora, what's your name?" She sounds very young for a woman in her late thirties.

She is quite pretty, with her slender body, black hair, and her cat like eyes.

"Faye." I falter.

"That's a very pretty name, Faye." She compliments brightly.

"Where's Felix?" I ask.

"He's awake. Just need to put some nutritions in him. Do you want to visit him?" She say with a grin.

I feel a flick of hope. Maybe I could return to the family's house. I gobble down my meal swiftly and I'm on my feet.

When I arrive to Felix's room, I gasp at the sight of Winters conversing with him. My heart thunders in my chest, I feel the walls caving on me, the air becomes thick and oppressive. I'm frozen to the floor, my stunned expression is printed on my face. Felix's eyes flick to me and I begin to tremble.

Winters whirls around to see me and the Nurse standing in the doorway with a small smile on his face.

"Faye, me and Mr. Yeagers was just talking about you." Winters exclaims.

Winters looks Nora in the eyes and orders her to leave. She does and I brace myself for anything.

Felix stares at me. There's an odd expression in his eyes that I can't read. My heart begins to sink.

I fear the worst. I'm tempered to kill Winters right here and now. But what if there's guards around? I don't see them, but I know they're near. Winters isn't dumb.

If Winters told Felix about my true self, then what? From his expression, Felix knows something.

But what?!

"Me?" I whisper as if I'm innocent.

"You didn't tell Mr. Yeagers, your little secret." He grins. I'm nearly loses my balance when he say that. I immediately feel sick to my stomach. Felix is speechless and stays quiet.

I struggle to muster out words. I can't seem to find the right ones. "Felix…...I…...I…" My voice drifts off.

Then a gush of emotions flow through me without warning. "I couldn't tell you! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lie to you and the others. I just needed help!" I choke out.

Felix's eyes are cold, colder than usual. My words meant nothing to him.

"Mr. Yeagers, I will take Faye off your hands and I will keep her with me. Thanks to you, we captured the experiment that escaped months ago." Felix's glare moves from me to Winters.

Winters continues. "I will give a reward for your service. A vehicle, food, water, and bountiful amount of guns. Do you want Faye to be taken away from you?"

Felix doesn't answer Winters' question. Instead he is skeptical. "I want to see it first." He say curt.

"NO!" I cry. Eyes are glued to me, but I don't care. Tears swells in my eyes. I think of Harlow, Nina, and Nick. The thought of never seeing them again was painful. I take a deadly step close to Winters, teeth bared and fists balled up at my sides. Winters stays calm and shout out to someone. A guard is at the doorway in a flash, aiming his gun directly at me. I stop in my tracks immediately.

I look at Felix and beg. "Please, I….do anything. Please don't leave me here!" Felix doesn't reply back to me. He speaks to Winters.

"What are you going to do to her?" He ask. Maybe my pleads grabbed his concerns?

"I'll care for her. Your job is done." Winters answers.

"FELIX!" I cry, trying to get his attention. Felix looks at me and he narrows his eyes angrily.

"You are not coming with me, you are not my problem and you never will be. You belong here with these people. You lied to me and my family and tried to pull my family into this shit! I did what I said I would do and now you're here." He hiss.

A wave of hurt hits me. Tears roll down my cheeks without warning.

Felix avert his look from me and back to Winters. His tone, bitter and harsh, like usual. "I want to see these supposed guns and vehicle. How do I know you're not bullshitting me?" He say.

My mind is racing, my emotions boil inside me. I feel both sadness and anger. Then Felix's rejection hurt me more than I thought it would. I feel betrayed.

I open my mouth to speak one more, but this time I close it. I have no words to say.

 _ **11 will come soon. Leave reviews and thoughts.**_


	11. The Training

11.

* * *

It is early in the morning when I'm conducted to the basement area of the base by guards. I'm not restrained, but I don't try to attack. The armed guards marches me all the way to my new room. My room is small and white. White walls, white ceiling, and white floors. No windows, just the white entrance door with tons of locks on it.

There's nothing in this room, expect a small bed, a tiny bathroom, and one drab dresser in the counter. There's no toys, no accessories, nothing colorful or entertaining. I'm given new clothes, drab, plain clothing. Once I'm inside, the guards leaves me, locking the door behind them. I'm numb, as if I took a powerful drug. I struggle to wrap my mind around what is happening right now. I think about crying my heart out. I already did that before I was sent here and now I'm dry out of tears. I'm tempted to start screaming and throwing a tantrum out of anger, but I'm too low on energy. I'm just drained at this point.

I sit on my bed, it is hard and uncomfortable. I think about my previous bedroom. Harlow, Nina, Nick, and Alexa zooms through my mind. A pang of sorrow hits me and I try to think of something else. Felix is still here, from what I've been told, Felix will be released within three to four weeks.

Anger and pain lingers within me. I hate Felix for abandoning me like this, I saved his life by killing Tim! But at the same time, I wanted to kill him as well, but then it changed when the Fireflies attacked us. I don't know. Deep down I was hoping Felix would overlook everything that happened and would take me back home.

I constantly debate if this was all my fault almost every night. I keep coming to the conclusion of no. Nick could have left me to die out there with that Clicker. Felix was willing to let me. Felix saw me as a burden. But Nick has a heart, I remember how loving and doting Nick was to his children. He seemed to have a good relationship with his two daughters and obviously cherished his wife. He saved my life when he didn't have to and I respect him for that. But at that same time, I hate him for it.

I decide to accept my fate here. The Yeagers family are safer that way. Now that I'm with these people, I'm a danger with a target on my head. I push the Yeagers family far into the depths of my mind and I lay idly on my bed.

….

BAM! BAM! BAM! I'm jolted awake with my heart roaring in my chest. I stir in my bed and the door flies out.

"It is time for your training." I grimaces at the voice of Winters. I glare at him and I perched myself defiantly on my bed. "What training?" I demand.

Winters flashes me a broad smile. "Come with me and you'll see."

I'm rebellious, I just sit there and stare at him intensely. My hatred for him increases every second, I abhor the sight of this man. I'm determined to not move a muscle.

Winters quickly realizes my defiance. "Don't make get me a guard, Faye. Get up right now." He warns. I consider listening to this order, but I still sit. Winters yells out to a guard and within a second, one armed guard is in the room. Fear forces my legs to stand and I'm near Winters.

Winters walks me out my room and I'm escorted out the base. From what Winters told me, the training center is a mile away from the original base. He also explains to me that will be my secondary home. The training center is apart of the secondary base of the Fireflies, the area between the original base and this one is protected with wide wired fences and armed guards patrolling. The van drives on a narrow pathway to the center, I'm stripped tightly in my seat belt, Winters sits in the front seat. I look out the car window and gaze at the nature outside.

Once the drive is over, I'm escorted out by guards and I follow Winters into the base. It's a large building with dozens of windows and four stories.

Winters leads me through a iron gate with guards lurking near it and we enter the building.

Winters takes me to a elevator and I'm taken down the basement. When the elevator doors open, Winters leads me to the a open training room.

I'm shocked to see R-100 and C-101 sitting down on a light blue mat that covered the entire floor.

They are wearing odd, white robe outfits, R-100 has a black belt wrapped around her waist and C-101 has a yellow belt. The two pay me no attention as I enter, they are listening to an old man with silver hair and gleaming green eyes. The man is lecturing them, but I don't pay attention to it. The man wears the same outfit as the two children did with black belt.

Winters gestures a hand to them. "Faye, this will be your new training session." Winters explains.

Then he calls out to the old man. "Sensei, you will make Faye train with R-100." He orders. The man raises up a bushy eyebrow. "The child is a beginner, Red is top rank." He expresses. "Why with Red for her first time?"

Winters narrows his eyes. "Because I want Faye to learn what obedience is." He replies in a dry voice. "Do it now. Faye will fight R-100. Don't stop no matter what."

I have so many questions. But I have no time to ask any further questions as Winters vanishes into the hallway.

"Child." I whirl around to the husky voice of the man in the robe. R-100 and C-101 stare at me in silence. Sensei points a stiff finger to a spot next to C-101. "Sit." He orders.

There is so much intense urgency in his tone, I obey. The old man's eyes locks into mine.

"Child, you will fight with Red." He say. "As Winters order, child."

My eyes flickers to R-100, her expression is blank and stone. R-100 rises from her spot and makes her way to the center of the mat. My heart thunders in my chest as my mind tries to figure out what's going on. I feel a soft nudge. I turn my head to C-101. He gives me a small smile.

"Good luck. You'll need it." He say bluntly.

I raise my eyebrow and examine R-100, she's in a firm stance, fists up and legs balanced. Her eyes are glued to mine, challenging and daring. I break away from her stare and turn back to C-101.

"Um...why am I going to fight her?" I ask.

C-101 looks at me as if I'm stupid. "Because Winters said so." Then he screws up his face. "Just don't get hit. At all."

"Up. Child, please come." The old man say slowly. Haltingly, I get up and make my way to R-100. I'm right in front of her, feets away from her. _Don't get hit. Don't get hit._

I never been in a fight before, let alone hand to hand combat. But I can at least try to fight. Or dodge. I copy R-100's stance.

The old man raises up his hand and only say one word. "Begin!"

I'm not ready for R-100's speed. I have no time to react as R-100 flashes towards me with a firm fist that lands on my nose. I let out a sharp cry, blinded with tears of pain, I stagger back, R-100 is inches away from me, she swings a swift kick that hits the back of my head. I nearly lose my balance as I'm seeing stars. R-100 lunges at me and this time I'm able to narrowly dive out her way. I fall flat on my face and I pick myself up quickly, my upper body is on fire.

A chill runs down my spine when I see R-100's scowl. Angry and menacing. She lets out a shrill scream as she lunges at me once again. I just run. I'm speeding away from her like a mouse fleeing from a cat. I glance at the old man for help, but he's stiff as a statue.

I run blindly through the room until I slam myself into the wall. The wall knocks the air out of me, then R-100 comes. And puts me into a world of hurt.

I'm kicked from left to right and punched in the stomach and chest almost endlessly. I'm able to slip away and I'm kicked to the floor. I feel a burning sensation in my chest as I let out an angry cry.

R-100 stands over me and I'm fuming with anger. I rocket myself up and hurl a sharp punch to her face. After I hit her, I don't stop. I give her a flurry of punches, every punch becomes stronger and stronger as I slam my fists into her face.

I finally stop, gasping for air. I back up cautiously. R-100 is simply on her knees, silent and blood seeping her now bruised face. I examine my hands and there's crimson in my palms. I feel a pang of excitement. I feel so much pride at this moment. My heart is racing with adrenaline. I look at C-101 and the old man for their reactions. The old man is calm as water, he just stands there, looking at us. But C-101's expression is what jars me. Eyes wide as saucers, mouth open, and his rapid shaking head.

"Can I stop, please?" I plead. Then a horrid, high pitched scream pierces my ears. I grow rigid with fear as I turn back to R-100. Then I nearly pee myself. R-100 is hunched around, breathing heavily, teeth clenched, and eyes full of rage. My eyes are glued to only one thing that terrifies me to death. Her hands are drastically different. I immediately think of a Clicker. There's odd claws that covers her fingers. The claws appear to be hardened fungus. Just like a Clicker, their body is basically a rough piece of armor. The fungus claws are jagged and long. C-101 is looking on with horror. I'm inching away, watching her keenly. R-100 only takes a step close to me, baring her teeth. Beads of sweat runs down my face.

Then it happens. R-100 lunges at me, swinging her hands wildly. I'm trapped as I'm swaying violently back and forth, trying to get out of her range. I get a bright idea and send a desperate kick to her face. I miss and fall to the floor pathetically. R-100 is on top of me within seconds. She goes insane, screaming and screeching as she jabs her claws into my stomach repeatedly. I'm convulsing erratically, my arms flailing. I'm in unbearable pain, a warm screech of agony releases itself out my chest. "Enough!" Then I feel tons of weight whisked off of me. The old man pulls R-100 off of me and holds her in place.

"Red, you are done for this session. Please, go to your room." He orders. R-100 looks the old man in the eyes and solemnly nods. I turn my head to look at them, the world is slowly becoming blurry. I watch in awe as R-100's claws seems to slip back into her skin.

Then R-100 turns her back to the old man and exits the room. The Sensei comes to my aid and grabs my shoulders to lift me up and leans me on the wall.

"You are healing as we speak. You will feel better within an hour or so. Would you like a beverage as you heal, Child?" The Sensei say.

I'm barely paying attention to his words, but I thoughtlessly nod anyway. The old man shuffles away from me and into a room connected to this room. The old man was correct on the healing, even though I'm in great pain, I do feel the tingling sensation of my body. The air is tainted with my blood, my pants and my shirt is darkened with red.

C-101 crawls over to me. "Well I told you not to get hit." He say. "You should have quit when you had the chance. That's what I do. I don't have time to bleed." He lazily shrugs his shoulders.

I struggle to speak. "Why…...what….just happened?" I stutter.

C-101 sits right next to me. "Red is the best one here. She's the most successful project here. Basically what you saw was one of Red's weird abilities. Like Clickers, she can use her fungus as a defense. But instead of a shield, she uses it in a combat way. She can stab through human flesh with ease. Not sure how she got it. I think it's a mutation from her DNA." C-101 elucidate.

I think of Mucker of that moment. Mucker studied me from head to toe and was always intrigued on my DNA. I tend to find it interesting as well. I'm mixed with the feeling of terror and amazement. I believed for a long time that I was the only fungal child in the world. Then when I met these two, I believed they were the same as me. But no. At this point, I'm scared of R-100. I wonder why she acted so feral before. Is that apart of DNA as well?

"C-101, why…..is R-100 like the way she is?" I inquire. C-101 opens his mouth to speak, but then Winters enters the room. He takes one look at me and the blood. Then he smiles proudly.

"Faye, get up. It is time for a break." He declares. I hate this man so much.

I want to be rebellious, but something in me makes me struggle to get up. When I'm up, I'm limping and sore. Blood follows me in a wet trail.

I ignore the pain still within me as I walk weakly with Winters. All I have on my mind are questions.

"Winters," I start. "Why is R-100 so…"

"Flawless." Winters exclaims. "Faye, I suppose I should tell you about FMG's rules." He suddenly stops in the middle of the hallway, I do as well, listening to the humming of the air vents.

"Here at FMG, we are focused on the concept of attachments. You see when R-100 and C-101 was born, the mothers died. We made sure the projects didn't form any emotional attachments to anyone in the area. We made sure the nurses didn't hold them or cuddle them. We only feed them through tubes and care for them with very little human interactions. Faye, you and the others are not children. You were not born naturally, you were made. Children don't have highly advanced abilities. R-100 is our perfect example for this concept. No emotional bonds, devoid of humanity and will. R-100 only obeys. She listens, not speak."

I glare at Winters full of disgust. "That's not flawless!" I protest.

"You, Faye, have many flaws." His words are sharp and cold. "Mucker never seemed like a fatherly man. But he obviously cared for you. You have emotional attachments and free will. We need to break those bonds to make you stronger, Faye."

I'm just looking at this guy as if he has three heads. I'm speechless at this point. Break those bonds to make you stronger, Faye. His words rings in my ears. I just want him to drop dead! I hold in my anger as I see a guard lurking nearby.

Winters leads me to my cell/room and leaves me there. I did nothing but lay on my bed, soaking my once white sheets with my blood. I'm not worried because again I can heal. But I'm still shaking from my ordeal. Does Winters want me to be like R-100? Then I ponder on R-100. I feel a hint of pity for her. (Only a little because she stabbed me a dozen times.)

Is R-100 what I could have been? What if Mucker never held me as a baby? Or cared for me in general? Mucker cared for me, but he was distant and standoffish. Nick and Nina flash in my mind with painful memories. They nurtured their children with love and care. They treated me with pure kindness. Almost like I was a child of their own. But did Mucker even see me as a daughter? I saw him as a Father and loved him like a daughter would. But how did he feel about me? A rush of emotions flows through me rapidly. Tears runs down my cheeks.

Memories of me killing him stabs me like a knife. I'll never forgive myself for it.

….

 _Today I will not fight._ I chant in my head. I hear the rapid knocking of my room's door. Winters comes in, as expected. I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling.

"Time for training, Faye." I try to ignore Winters's voice. I distract myself by tracing my fingers on the lumpy scars on my stomach. I got new clothes after my ordeal yesterday and my stomach already healed.

"Faye, please. Come here."

I say nothing and do nothing.

His voice becomes strained and impatient. "Faye, do you hear me? Come here right this instant."

I do nothing.

"Faye."

I roll to my side and close my eyes. This sets Winters off immediately. "GUARDS!" I flinch at the intensity of his voice.

I have no time to react as dozens of hostile hands snatch me from my bed, I'm hauled onto someone's shoulder and carried down the hallway in a flash. Fear reels through me. My voice becomes shrill. "Where are you taking me?" I shriek.

No one answers my question.

The guards takes me to a small hospital room and tossed onto a soft bed. I immediately begin to squirm violently. Hands pin me down. "Nurses. Now. Sedate her." Winters's voice echoes through the room. As I roughly wiggle, I feel a pinch of sharp pain in my shoulder.

I feel the coldness seep through my veins. I feel weak, my movement slows down. I'm not numb, I'm just weak and limp now.

"Sever her fingers." Winters orders.

I can't move my head, but my eyes watches keenly as one nurse putting on her gloves and grabbing a scalpel. My heart thunders. Then I'm in agony. I scream at the top of my lungs as the nurse chops off my right pinky finger.

I lose my ability to form words, I can only scream. Every nerve in my body is aching. Tears runs down my face hysterically.

"Her thumb."

The nurse slices off my right thumb. I smell the tainted air, fresh with blood. Then I black out.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I wake up when a sudden twinge makes me convulse. I feel something rough around my neck. My eyes flicker to the sight of a dark collar wrapped around my neck. I'm finally able to move some parts of my body. I looked down at my hands immediately, my fingers were burning, but I still have them. I bend my stitched up fingers with anxiety.

"Faye."

My eyes widen when I hear Winters. I look up to see him standing in a corner near my hospital bed. I see that we're alone and I'm happy about it. I muster up all my strength to get out of the bed and I bared my teeth, ready to lunge at him.

With an angry cry, I leap for him. Then he smiles and a blue light flashes on my collar. Then I'm shocked with electricity. My muscles twist and jerks violently, I do a crazy dance as I scream at the top of my lungs. Then it ceases and I immediately fall to my knees. I look up dazed and realize Winters had a black remote like object in his hand. "Faye, I told you to get up. And you chose to be defiant. Do not disobey me." He takes a bold step towards me. "I need to break you, Faye. I wanted to be civil with you, Faye. I truly did. But you have more defiance than I thought. Defiance is not welcomed here. You will be severely punished. Do you understand me?" He kneels down and locks eyes with me. Winters is not longer genial. His eyes are devoid of kindness. His eyes are just threatening and cold. I feel a icy chill run down my spine. I feel myself trembling like a leaf. My mind unravels every passing second. I'm still trying to comprehend what just happened. I got my finger and thumb severed off and sewed back on and shocked with an electric collar, simply because I didn't get out of bed?!

I slowly nod my head.

"Speak, Faye."

I force out my small voice. "Yes." I squeak.

…

When I go to bed, all I have are nightmares. Vivid, realistic ones. I relive my recent ordeal, I would dream about Tim attacking Felix, I dream about R-100 and her claws. I turn and toss, murmuring to myself. At one point, I wake up and I can't sleep. I lay in my bed idly, thinking to myself. The room is pitch black, my mind goes wild and I think someone is in the room with me. I shake in my thin sheets in a cold sweat.

Then I hear a light knock on the door. I rise my head up to see the door crack open and Nora pokes out her head.

"Faye, are you alright?" She whispers.

I say nothing. I barely knew Nora. And she doesn't know much about me. Nora shuts the door and turns on the lights, brightening the room. I then realize she is holding a light blue tray with a handful of rice, a cookie, a cup of milk, and an apple.

She flashes me a sweet smile as she walks towards me. "Here, Faye. I thought you would need something to make you feel better."

I sit up in bed, full of distrust. "No." I say hollow. I take one look at the food and realize how empty my stomach was. After that event of madness, I was sent to my room without a meal. But my distrust is stronger than my stomach. _This is a test. A trick._ I warn myself silently.

Nora gives me a sympathetic look. "Faye, it's okay. I will not hurt you." She says gently. With that she sits on the edge of my bed. "You need to eat, Faye." She coax. "Please."

I ponder for a moment. _Is Nora tricking me? She doesn't seem to be the type of person to trick someone. Then again why would she trick me?_

Haltingly, I pick the cookie and enjoy the sweet taste of it. Next thing, I know, I'm stuffing my face with food. Nora only smiles and waits for me to finish my meal patiently.

Nora reminds me of Nina. Nice and gentle.

"Faye, what happened today? I heard so much screaming." Her voice deep with concern.

I see no point in lying. "I disobeyed Winters. So he punished me."

"How?"

"He cut my finger and thumb off," Nora's face fills with horror, her eyes become glassy. I show her my hands. "They….stitched them back….but…." My voice drifts off. I take a deep breath. "Then I…..was shocked….and…" Suddenly a unexpected sob escapes my throat. Before I knew, I'm full on weeping my heart out. My sobs are long and broken. Nora embraces me warmly, rocking me slowly like a small child.

"Calm down, Faye. It's okay….I promise….." She whispers into my ear.

It feels so strange to cry like this. To sob in the arms of a stranger. But I don't want to pull away. Then her voice becomes strict. "Faye, I will speak to Dr. Winters. What he did to you was…..inhuman!" She fumes.

"Drink your milk, sweetheart. You'll feel a lot better." She gives me a reassuring pat on the back before releasing me. She hands me the cup and looks me in the eyes. "Faye, the next time, Winters does anything to you, tell me!" Nora declares passionately. "I will help you in anyway I can." I take the cup and avert my eyes from hers. I appreciate her kindness, but I dread Winters's ruthlessness. "There's nothing you can do." I say bluntly. I take a quick sip of the warm milk. I savor the sweet, soothing taste of it.

Then it happens. A sudden twitch occurs and everything becomes black.

When I wake up, I taste something different in my mouth. A bitter, metallic taste. I'm drenched with the blood of Nora. I'm on top of her, gazing at her gruesome body with terror. I can't speak anymore. Nora's eyes are open and lifeless, her throat is an open, bloody gash. Her skin is covered with cuts and deep, red marks. A pool of blood surrounds her on the floor.

I leap off of her and fall on my butt, gasping hysterically. My hand touches something wet and I looked down to see a puddle of spilled milk.

 _12 will come soon. Leave reviews and thoughts._


	12. Potential

12.

* * *

There are no words to describe this situation. The scent of blood lingers in the air and the world is silent. My body trembles as I sit in the corner. I can't remove my eyes from Nora's gruesome corpse. My mind is scrambling to make sense of what just occurred. Rapid thoughts rush through my head. _Okay….you were talking to Nora…..then you drank the milk…..then you felt weird and everything went black…..._ I repeat this in my mind a thousand times. I probe my memories for anything that happened afterwards. But nothing. This is bizarre to me. Did I go insane? Yes. But this was vastly different. I'm conscious when I go insane. But this time I remember nothing that happened afterwards. I force myself to get on my knees as I crawl towards Nora. Her ebony hair is drenched with her blood, her face is soaked, her throat is open and gaping. Her eyes are open and is permanently glued to the ceiling. I still taste her blood in my mouth, I feel particles of her blood on my face, and my clothes is darkened with crimson. The room is utterly silent, so silent you could hear a pin drop.

BAM! BAM! I tense up at the jarring sound of the pounding of the door. I'm trembling like a leaf in a storm. The door cracks open and Winters enters the room with two guards near him.

Winters eyes me, his eyes disinterested in Nora's corpse. The two guards stares at me in horror, dread deep in their expressions.

"Faye," Winters utters.

My words rushes out of my chest with no restraint. "What happened?" I cry. "N…..Nora….she…...came in here, then she…."

"Nora gave you the Trigger." Winters explains. Then he adds. "Well unknowingly."

"What do you mean?" My voice, shrill and hysterical. I grow rigid with apprehension.

"Faye, calm yourself at once." Winters orders. I shut my mouth instantly. I put my shaking knees to my chest, struggling to control my breathing. Winters points a stiff finger at the spilled milk that was five feet away from me. Then he elucidates.

"Nora was a victim of circumstance. I was notified that she managed to get you refreshment from the kitchen. You see, Faye, you have your own prescribed jug of milk with your name stamped on it. We don't want to accidentally infect others by coming in contact with your saliva. We do this to these others for precaution. But we are testing a certain substance and we were going to give it to you this morning. Faye, you drank the Trigger." Then he quickly adds. "You have moments when you have gone insane, Faye?" It's not a question.

"Of course, you have. Your DNA is combined with the fungus. You're not a regular human being. That state you randomly fall into is a feral state. Your animalistic instincts activate and you can't control yourself to some degree. But you still manage to stay stable for the majority of the time. Your feral state is your true state and this Trigger will bring it out of you. The Trigger when given, will send you into a homicidal, uncontrollable, feral spree. Even though I was not present in this room, I can conclude that the Trigger test on you was successful. I suppose Nora was trying to be kind to you and was taken off guard when you brutally attacked her."

I flinch when he says that, my blood runs cold. "Why…." My voice drifts off.

"Faye, when Mr. Yeagers gave you to me, I had one goal in mind. To train you and make you strong. You are weak, attached and nurtured. You have bountiful amounts of potential. We just need to sever the emotional bonds you have and make you what you're supposed to be."

I just sit in utter silence. I have no words to say. My body becomes numb to the bone, my head begins to spin.

Winters beckons me to come to him. "Faye, today, you will miss your combat session and you will go through something different. You're ready. Come."

"N…" I slam my hand over my mouth in mid protest. Winters narrows his eyes at me, filling me with dread. I stay silent and I pick my unsteady self up. My heart rate intensifies, beads of sweat rolls down my face, my mind races a mile a minute.

The guards swarm around me and we are travel through the long hallway. Winters stays a fair distance away from me, a armed guard at his side, and he makes small talk to me as we walk.

"Faye, we will be leaving this area for a while. This center is far away and is an abandoned turned research center turned laboratory. It was once a base, but it was in shambles and it got raided by savages years ago. There you will be tested." I don't say a word. Silence seems to be my safe haven. I know that any sort of aggressive movement will get me killed. So I obey. For precautions, I have a muzzle over my mouth and leather gloves on my hands. We exit the building and I'm conducted into the back of a van. Once Winters and the driver makes it to the front seat, we're off.

For the first hour of the ride, it is a quiet ride. No one utters a whisper. Then Winters speaks to me.

"Faye," He pushes a black bang out of his eyes. "Do you know where North Carolina is?" He inquires.

I shake my head.

"Well that's the place we are going to. It will be a long ride." He says. "Thirteen hours to be exact."

I continue to stay silent. Nora plagues my mind, I feel remorse over her death. I barely knew this woman, but from how she treated me, she seemed to be a sincere soul. She reminded me so much of Nina. I miss her. I long to go back to the family's house and sleep in my warm bed and eat Nina's meals. I wonder on how the family was reacting to my absence. Does Harlow miss me? Probably, she has no one near her age to be her companion. Alexa doesn't miss me, I know that as a fact. Nick is possibly worried sick, not about just me, but his brother. He's probably loosing his hair over Felix's disappearance. I just miss them all.

The car ride is long, I become a mute for the entire ride. I sleep on the cold hard floor of the van for hours and hours.

We finally make it to the center on a bright early morning, I shield my eyes with my hands from the harsh sun rays as I'm escorted out the van. I look ahead and see the building, it is a massive brick building with many windows and a black flat roof. The environment is wild with nature, there are shambled buildings in the background. As we walk towards the building, I examine my surroundings. There's many abandoned cars and trucks around, I spot a few wild animals scurry through the area. There is no fence or fortitude that protects the place, it is open and unsecure. I feel a uneasy sensation in my stomach as we enter the building. The inside was unkempt and in shambles. The walls have small bullet holes and there's scratched up furnitures scattered everywhere.

"Come." Winters orders. With that he walks ahead of everyone and leads us to the staircase and eventually a steel door with a lock on it. Winters digs in his pocket and pulls out a bright green card. He reaches over and puts the card in front of the lock. A green light flashes on the lock and there's a jarring sound that emerges out of it. Winters puts the card back into his pocket and opens the door to a large room. The room is vastly different from the entire building, it is neat and polished. In the corners of the room there are cylinder like containers full of liquids and machines with flashing lights.

I'm looking around the room with curiosity, until Winters gets my attention. "Faye, we will begin the testing." He declares. I watch his lips grow.

Before I can do anything, leather hands wrap around me like a vice, grabbing my arms and one rough hand snatches up my hair. "HEY!" I'm caught in mid scream as I'm hauled in the air. I am helpless with my restraints and I'm brought before a grinning Winters. My heart rate intensifies. "What are you doing?" I shriek.

I get no answer and I'm shoved towards a open cylinder container brimful of water. Within seconds, my head is right above it. I'm squirming violently as their grips begin to bring me pain.

"Now."

The icy water rushes into my nostrils and mouth, I open my eyes once and never again when I feel the water stinging them. I'm roughly pulled up and I'm gasping frantically for air, I exhale violently to get the invasive water out of my nostrils. My hair is drenched. I go into a harsh coughing fit.

"Again, get ready."

My head is slammed once again in the water, I shake my head around erratically trying to break free. I try to fight against the hand that was holding me down and try to force up my head. But no luck. Then I feel a sharp pain in my back, then I'm shocked.

I let out a anguishing scream, rapid bubbles roaring out of my mouth. My muscles twist and convulse, my head twitches and my entire body is surging with agony. The electric cease and I feel a strong tug of my hair and I can breathe again. My legs are unsteady, I nearly fall to my knees, even with others holding me up. My entire body is aching, my muscles will not stop quivering. My heart continues to race intensely. _Is Winters trying to kill me_? I think frantic. My mind is full of panic and hysteria, all of my thoughts are anxious and fearful. I see Winters approaching me with a small, dark device in his possession.

"How did that feel, Faye?" Winters inquires.

I say nothing, too shocked to speak. At first I fear punishment for my silence, but instead Winters just smiles. He raises his voice to his guards. "Men, hold Faye down and wait for me to prepare our second procedure." With no words, they do. I'm held down with tighter grips. Every second feels like a minutes and every minute feels like a hours. I dread the next torture awaiting me. For some reason, I think about Felix. I wonder what would happen if he was here. Would he turn a blind eye and let this happen? Or would he try to protect me? I don't know the answer. He was outraged about me getting shot and killed almost all of those Fireflies. But he abandoned me here. Granted, he probably thinks Winters is a decent man and may not even know what's happening to me. But I couldn't help but blame him for this. I watch Winters as he swarms around a tall container full of bubbly water. It's water I never seen before, it's fizzy and almost white. Steam rises from it's opening.

My healing factor kicks in, for a short moment, I'm in sharp pain, but now I feel physically healthy.

Winters seems to sense this as he paces towards me. "Faye, I assume your healing factor is working as we speak, yes?" He asks in a fair voice.

I don't answer his question. "Why…...are…..you doing this?" I falter.

"I am testing your limits, Faye. I told you before, you have potential. So we need to force it out for a final project. Faye, this is apart of your procedures. To be stronger, you must endure suffering and misery. Erase your humanity and replace it with strength and obedience. Believe me, once this is over, you will be perfect. We are going to do another procedure soon and then finally you will do the last one." Winters' eyes loses it's gleam and becomes cold. His tone turns dark and low. "Bring her to the container. It is ready." He utters.

In a flash, I'm dragged to the container, inches away from it, I can feel the simmering heat emerging from the glass. One of the guards brings in a nearby ladder and positions it. One guard puts me in a rough headlock and carries me up the ladder with ease. I'm screaming at the top of lungs, twisting and squirming vigorously. I hear a sharp click sound and I feel something cling onto me. I can not see what it is, but it's firm and wraps around my shoulders. I begin to plead. "NO! NO!" The scotching heat burns my eyes. Then I'm in great agony once again, the sensation I feel as I'm plummeted into boiling water is unspeakable. My skin begins to painfully blister, my nerves screams, my limbs twist, I'm using all of my will not to open my eyes. As the anguish continues, my will wilts and I open my eyes instinctively, only seeing blur, then eventually it becomes dark. I'm tugged up to the surface, blind and terrified. I feel the heat steaming on my skin, my legs are unsteady and useless, I scream when I feel myself fall. Someone catches me and pull me up.

"Faye, notify me when your sight heals. We wait until you properly heal." Winters say.

I'm too drained to protest or fight, I do what he say and stay put.

"Faye, do you ever wonder how your healing abilities work?" He didn't wait for my answer. "No Infecteds can heal like you can. They have higher tolerance to pain and attacks, but that's all. Somehow your mutation in your DNA gifted with something greater. The scientists and researchers came up with this theory, you have the ability of regeneration, when you take damage, your cellular structures is simply replaced and healed. Your fight with R-100 is a prime example, you were stabbed in the stomach by her and was able to walk after a few hours. It seems that the others have the same abilities, but they seem to vary. C-101 takes approximately days to heal, his healing ability is slow. R-100's is relative fair, she can take up to forty two hours or less. But hers is not perfect. R-100 mostly replies on her high tolerance to pain. But yours, Faye, is accelerating. Yours seems to act faster than average."

Winters continues to chatter my ears for minutes, I blink when I finally regain my sight. I look at my skin, my skin is covered in scars, but they are small and mild. My clothes is burnt and my shoes are no more. My hair is seemingly fine, even though I still feel the scorching heat on my scalp. I croak out in impatiently. "What's next?" I hope this was over.

Winters's eyes lights up in excitement. "Much more." He grins. "This last procedure will be the ultimate test."

I'm fearful to ask any further questions. But Winters can see my curious expression and gives me a curling smirk.

"Faye, your very last procedure will be simple." He tells me.

"What…...is….it?" I falter.

"Kill the Yeagers family." He say hollow.

 _13 will be out soon. Enjoy, leave reviews and thoughts._


	13. The Four Choices

13.

* * *

I'm unable to control myself. Immediately I begin to act like a wild animal. "LET ME GO!" I holler. I twist and struggle violently as hands hold me tightly. "NO! NO! NO!" I scream. My mind flashes with the thoughts of the Trigger. I glare Winters in the eyes and speaks boldly. "FUCK YOU! I'M NOT KILLING ANYONE!" I declare. "I WILL RIP OUT YOUR FUCKING THROAT!" Winters is not fazed by my outburst, he continues to smile broadly. I just want to kill him at this point, I imagine myself from slipping out these guards' grips and finally ending this bastard. I don't care what happens to me. Unfortunately, I can't do anything to Winters or anyone. Not with all my restraints on. And considering the fact I literally just threatened him, I think my chances of being free is low. I'm helpless, I never felt so weak. I'm drained at this point, mentally and emotionally. There's no amount of healing that will fix that.

Winters remains calm. "Not today, Faye. Soon." He say softly. "We are going to test something on you for a moment." He averts his eyes from mine and to the guards. "Follow me." He orders.

With that he walks pass me and exits the room. I'm marched into the hallway and we follow Winters. He leads us to a large elevator and we are all whisked down the bottom floor. We enter a massive room, wider than the previous room. The room is splitted into two, we step into a narrow room that is separated by a wall of glass. The other side is massive and dark. Two guards I never seen before is waiting for us in the narrow side. My eyes are glued to a scruffy, yellow dog that sits idly next to one of the guards. My mind is blank and I have no clue what is going to next.

"Faye, I'm going to test the Trigger with you once again. I was unfortunately unable to witness the reaction when you first took it. I would like to see it for myself." Winters expresses.

 _I would love it if you were the target_. I think darkly.

Winters begins to explain the Trigger once again with a proud smile. "The Trigger has many uses. Nora didn't appear to have any trace of the Trigger on her. She was simply killed because she was the only individual in the room with you. But the Trigger's purpose is to send you into an uncontrollable state where you will kill ferociously. Smelling it, touching it, and tasting it will trigger you into a feral state." Winters paces towards the dog, then pauses and eyes the guards. "Take Faye into the observant room and unrestrain her. After you do, leave the room immediately. The experiment will start in a moment. Go." The guards obey and I'm conducted into the other room. It is pitch black. They take off my restraints and I hear their feet scurrying off and the door closes. Then the lights on the ceiling flicker on and brightens the room. The door cracks open, there's a shout and the dog roams into the room. The dog takes a quick interest in me and briskly hurries towards me. It pants huskily and it's tail wags wildly. I'm not sure what to think. Why is this dog here with me? How is this training? I ponder. Then I realize it. Quickly I'm running around from this dog, knowing what's going to happen to me. The dog is oblivious and lets out a energized bark before chasing after me. I creen around the room, covering my nose with my hands. Eventually I'm countered into a wall, the dog is twelve feet away from me, eyes flashing with excitement. My legs ache, I'm already out of breath from running. The dog makes a sudden beeline towards me and I'm not quick enough to stop it from jumping on me. Then it happens. A abrupt twitch and then darkness.

I open my eyes to a dead dog. It's a bloody mess, I'm soaked with crimson. I lose my ability to speak, my mind goes blank for a long time. I look at the glass to see Winters pridefully grin at me.

Every nerve in my body is numb. The smell of the Trigger is faint, but it is hard to miss when it's close. I remembered when I drank the milk, I tasted nothing odd. So I guess it's tasteless. The Yeagers family floods my mind. What's gonna happen now?

After this procedure, I slowly return back to being a mute. Winters explains to me that I will return back to the other base tomorrow and I will do the last procedure with R-100 and C-101. Then I am forced to sleep on a hard mattress, muzzled, restrained, and watched by guards.

I continue to stay silent in the early morning, everyone jam into the van and we drive away from this center. No one bothers me, not even Winters. Hours and hours passes and my mind continues to be blank. Eventually we finally return to the original base of the Fireflies where R-100 and C-101 were held.

Upon returning I'm conducted into my cell room and left alone.

…..

I'm trapped in this stupor state for hours upon returning home. I'm monitored by female guards as I take a cold shower. After I'm done, I'm marched to my room and left alone. I've been in my room for a long time, no one checked up on me. For a short moment, I manage to kick myself out my numbness and I try to fiddle with the door to make sure it's locked. It is and my numbness takes me over quickly.

My thoughts roams my mind with great apprehension, my heart rate intensifies every second. I feel like the entire world is punishing me. Cursing me with dread and misery no matter where I am. Why is life like this for me? I dread what awaits me. The eerie silence of my room mocks every fiber of my being.

Then there is a knock on the door and Winters blesses me with his presence. I see no guards with him, even I'm sure they're just out of my sight. Either way, I'm beyond drained to care.

"Faye, I had a change of heart." He say softly. "Sit up. Now."

Without any hesitation, I do.

"Faye, I will give you four choices. The test was successful, but I wish to see you kill on will." I say nothing, I simply stare and listen to every word he utters.

"One; you kill the Yeagers family willingly without the Trigger. Two; you will use the Trigger and kill the family. Three; I will instruct R-100 to complete the execution and you will be her secondary target after the bloodshed. Or four; I throw you into the pit of Infected." My lips quiver with fright as I struggle to think clearly. I open my mouth to speak, but only air comes out. I have no words to say. Winters' eyes pierces into mine. His eyes are challenging and merciless. "I am about to go, I will give you three hours to decide." Then he leaves the room, shutting the door and locking it.

I immediately feel sick, my numbness slowly vanishes from my body, a wave of nausea flows through me. My head begins to throb painfully, I feel my mind unraveling every passing second. I try to calm myself, but my mind becomes my enemy. I vainly use all my might to force all my terrifying thoughts back into the deepest depths of my mind. My mind begins to haunt me. "NO! NO! NO! I WILL NOT! NO!" I find myself yelling to myself. At this point, I can't contain my unbridled emotions. I feel like I'm going mad, my emotions takes over. Without warning, rapid tears of angst pours down my cheeks. I'm hysterical, gasping and sucking for air. For some reason I can't explain, I roll off my bed and collapse on the floor. The cool titles of the floor feels nice against my hot face. _DAMMIT! DAMMIT! WHY? FUCK!_ I scream in my head. My sorrow and distress shifts into anger and rage. I'm up on my feet, full of sudden energy, I can't stop myself from spewing out obscenities and swears. I'm flailing my arms around violently, tugging and yanking at my hair as I run amok. All my emotions boils inside me, I scream at the top of my lungs, letting out a primal, bloodcurdling screech. After my scream ends, I'm back onto the floor, rolled up in a pathetic ball, sobbing my heart out. I can't think of making the choices. I don't want to kill the Yeagers family. NO! I just can't. Not Nina, Nick, Alexa, or Harlow. Not even Felix! But if I refuse to do anything, Red will do it. Red won't show any mercy when it comes to violence. And after she's done, she'll kill me. I envision Red penetrating her fungal claws into my brain. I shake my head vigorously to remove that thought. What do I do? Do I do it? Or do I let Red do it? Or do I just bite the bullet and risk being thrown into the pit of Infecteds? I go into a rough coughing fit, my throat is dry and hoarse. Either way, I'm going to die. If I go with the first choice, I'm going to die in the inside if I kill by will. The second choice is conflicting, I won't remember anything after I kill the subject, but it will still damage my psyche. I don't know! Time lingers on, I'm still curled up on the floor for who know how long. My mind races. I don't want to die. Saying the third choice or the fourth choice is suicide. But what about my mental state? How will this affect me? Horribly, drastically? At this moment, I wish I was like Red. Emotionless, apathetic, empty, and ruthless. No wonder Winters is so fond of her. She is the perfect example of a cold blooded killer. She doesn't seem to have emotions, she only obeys and breathes. I think about Xander, Winters shows nothing but resentment for him. I never seen him in combat and I can't see him committing this attack.

"I CAN'T FUCKING BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING!" I scream hoarsely. I pound my fists on the floor violently as I cuss my heart out. "FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!"

Then I hear a knock on the door once again and my meltdown quickly halts. I tense up, knowing that I attracted attention to myself with all my screaming. The door opens and Winters enters the room. I sit up and look him in the eyes. My tears blinds me for a quick moment and I wipe the remaining tears off my cheeks. My heart rate intensifies and a idea suddenly pops into my head. A flicker of hope sparks within me.

I clear my throat. "Winters, I choose the first one." I say stiffly. Winters nods and gives me a broad grin. "Your mission start in two hours. Prepare yourself."

…..

Hours passes, Winters returns and calls to the guards. Then I'm conducted into the van and the first thing I see is R-100 and C-101 sitting in the back. My eyes widens. "WHAT THE FUCK, Winters?" I cry. "I chose the first choice." Winters glares at me with a dark scowl. "R-100 and C-101 is coming with you, Faye. I can't trust you fully." He turns his head towards Red. "R-100 will monitor you. Me and my men will watch you from the shadows."

I scowl back at him. Defiance floods my eyes. "And what if I manage to slip away and run away from here?" I dare.

"Then R-100 will kill you," He answers grimly. Then he adds. " I will be kind and give you two nights to kill this family. Be grateful for that choice. Sever the bonds and sever them. If you do not kill them on the first or second night, R-100 will kill you and the family. And if you tell anyone the truth of this project, you will be exterminated immediately." His voice is hollow and honest. "Enough talking, get in the van…" I cut him off rudely.

"How do you know where they are? Did Felix tell you?" I demand. Winters looks like he wants to explode. "I have links, Faye." He say. "Get in, now."

Daytime seems to quicken as the van drives through a pathway I never seen before. For a long time, all I see are trees and trees and more trees. I'm hoping we are lost and I'm positive we are. Winters consults the driver on directions. I sit next to C-101, R-100 is silent, narrow eyes staring at the floor, with her arms crossed. C-101 suddenly speaks to me out of nowhere. "So how are you gonna kill these folks?" He asks me plainly.

I say nothing and C-101 reads my expression. He makes sure he whispers to me.

"You have to do it. If you don't, Winters will make R-100 do it. And you won't like that at all." He explains. I still say nothing. But then C-101's voice changes. "So Winters been spending a lot of time with you. You seem to be his new favorite." His tone is strange, there's hints of negativity in it mixed with a hint of cheerfulness.

I shake my head. I find my voice and I keep it soft. "No." I croak. "He….tortures me. He's a fucking monster. He made me…...kill Nora."

C-101 raises an eyebrow in confusion. "Nora? Who is Nora? And since when do you cuss?"

"A nice lady who was a victim of circumstances." I say. "A nurse that wanted to help me. But….never mind."

C-101's eyes gleam with a emotion I can't read. "Just saying you just got here and you're getting all of this attention…." His voice drifts off and it seems he doesn't want to talk anymore.

I peek out the small window of the van and gazes at the landscape. Then it happens. "NO!" I let out a sharp cry at the sight of the Yeagers's house. C-101 nudges me roughly, so roughly I nearly fall off my seat. "Shut up!" He hiss. Immediately I'm taken aback from C-101's sudden change in temperament. But then I focus only on the house. My voice shrinks. "No….no…." I mutter.

"R-100, and C-101, get out of this van and pretend to be lost children. Faye, you go first. They know your face, tell them the others are your fellow champions. R-100, watch Faye. You know what to do." Winters commands. We are ten feet away from the house, I can tell everyone is asleep, faint flicks of candles glows in the windows. I see their red barn from afar. I sit in my seat, trying to figure out ways to evade this situation. But nothing comes to mind. I had a plan I assumed would work. I believed that if I chose the first choice, I would be able to escape. But then Red came into the picture.

C-101 hiss at me once again. "Go already!" I force my legs to move and I hop out the van with a heavy heart. I walk mindlessly towards the house, my heart thundering in my chest, nausea plaguing my stomach, and my lungs tightening itself. I'm at the fence, I look behind me to see the lightless van back out of my sight. R-100 and C-101 are briskly walking towards me. R-100 is on my heels when I push open the wooden front gate of the front yard. I continue to walk until I finally reach the front door. It takes all my might to raise up a hand to knock on the door. The knock itself makes me jerk and tense up. It takes a two knocks until I hear a click on the door.

"FAYE!" Nina's eyes immediately fills up with tears. She puts a emotional hand to her mouth at the sight of me. "FAYE! What….how…..where…." She stutters. Nina then draws me into a warm embrace and I already feel like vomiting. Nina pulls away from me. She speaks a mile a minute. "Faye, I was so worried! What happened? Where's Felix? Why are you covered in scars?" Then her eyes notices the two behind me. "Um…...Faye, are these your friends, sweetie?" I turn my head to them, considering if I should lie or not. I quickly lie when Red gives me a menacing glare. "Yes." I breathe.

"Oh. Well I'm Nina Yeagers, how are you, kids? Are you alright?" Nina greets. C-101 is the only one who speaks. "We're fine. We found Faye, hurt and alone in the woods with our group. We fixed her up and cared for that other man she was with. That guy is around, he's alive, but now we're lost. Something bad happened and we all got separated." C-101 lies swiftly.

Nina's eyes flashes with compassion. She looks like she's seconds away from bursting into tears. "Well you can stay here as long as you like. But first what's your names?"

"Xander." C-101 replies.

Nina kneels down to Red. "What's your name?" She asks sweetly. R-100 only glares at her silently. This make Nina a little uncomfortable. Then C-101 chimes in. "She's a mute." He say dryly. "Her name is Red."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Nina flushes. She beckons us to come inside. "Come in, we have plenty of rooms in this house." We all make our way inside, the nice warm feeling of the house makes me feel a hint of peace. Nina looks at me with utter excitement. Nina is on cloud nine because of my return. She shouts at the top of her lungs. "Nick, WAKE UP! FAYE'S BACK AND SHE'S OKAY! WAKE UP, SWEETHEART!"Then I hear a door crack upstairs. Harlow gasps at the sight of me, a happy grin grows on her face, her expression lights up. "FAYE!" With that, Harlow flies down the staircase and throws herself onto me. Her arms wraps around me like a vice. When she pulls away, her smile still remains.

"I thought you were never coming back. You were gone for a really long time!" She whimpers, tears flooding her eyes.

"I'm fine." I whisper. My voice, hollow and soft.

Harlow opens her mouth to say something, but she is interrupted when Nick comes out of his room and Alexa opens her bedroom door. "FAYE!" He cries out. He hurries towards me and smiles. But then his smile turns into a thin line. "Where's Felix?" He asks.

"He is….alive…...I don't know….where he is." I stammer. Nina lets out a sharp gasp. "Oh my god…..no… I can't believe he's..he's all alone out there." She laments.

Nick's expression becomes weak. "No….no…" He murmurs.

"Where's Uncle Felix?" Alexa calls out. Nina looks up at her daughter with alarming eyes. "He's alright, Alexa. He can take care of himself." Her tone is lying.

She then averts her eyes and turns to me. "Faye, you can go to your room. I will show Red and Xander to their rooms."

"No! Red will sleep in my room! I'll show her!" I protest. Fear reels within me. I can't trust Red. For all I know she'll gut Nina like a fish when given a chance. Nina looks at me like I lost my mind.

"Why?" She asks uneasy.

I think of a quick lie. "She's my…friend. And we're really close,so please, Nina?"

Nina looks thoughtful for a moment. "Alright." She say. Then she looks at Harlow. "Go to bed, young lady. It's pretty late." Harlow nods her head obediently and scurries upstairs and into her room. With that, I beckon Red to follow me upstairs, she does with no words. I hear Nina and Nick whispering among themselves and they shuffle into the kitchen. C-101 follows them

.When I make it upstairs, Alexa approaches me with a accusing scowl on her face. "You bitch!" She flares. "Where's my Uncle? You did something to him, didn't you? You and your weird friends!" She fumed.

"Leave me alone." I mumble, not in the mood to be messed with at all. Alexa takes a step closer to me with her hands balled up into fists. "Uncle Felix told me he was taking you to the Fireflies! Why are you still here? What did you do to my Uncle?" Alexa becomes red faced and towers over me. Red just looks on, completely disinterested. Then Alexa pokes a stiff finger into my chest. "Tell me now!" She raises her voice. I slap her hand away impatiently. "Fuck off." I snap. Alexa's mouth flies wide open. Then I walk away with Red on my heels. I feel a pang of happiness when I enter my old bedroom. The first thing I do is hop onto my bed, enjoying the softness and warmth. Red has no plans to sleep with me and lays on the floor. "You can borrow one of my blankets, Red." I offer without thinking. Red turns her head to me, glowering. Her expression say a million words. Instantly dread and fear infects me like a disease.

"I…..I…...know…..it will have to happen…..tonight or…. tomorrow….." My voice shrinks.

Red simply nods and goes to sleep.

 _14 will come soon. Please leave reviews and I hope you enjoyed this story._


	14. The Dying Doves of the Night

14.

* * *

The night stands still, I'm unable to sleep. Heavy guilt lingers within me. A thick lump is in my throat. I think of Winters _. I have two nights. Counting this one and the next._ I'm baffled on what to do. I look down at Red, she sleeps like a baby on the floor. I pull off my covers and tossed it onto her. I'm debating on what to do. _Kill them now…...kill them later…...or have Red to kill them and me._ Red will not show any mercy to them. She'll butcher them like pigs. But I can't kill them _. NO! NO!_ I scream in my head.

Then I hear a sharp knock on the door. I get out of my bed and open the door to see C-101. His expression is grave and dark. "Have you made a decision, already? I prefer to do this tonight." He scowls grimly.

"I'm thinking, Xander. I don't know! I…...don't….want to...do…" C-101 clasps his hand roughly over my mouth.

"Shut up, Faye before Red hears you!" He whispers. I glance at Red, she's still soundly asleep. "You better make a decision before Red or I do. You have two nights, this one and the next one. You obviously don't want to kill this family, Faye. You're going to procrastinate and ruin everything!"

I jerk away from C-101's hand and grit my teeth. "You think this is easy for me! I know these people. They saved me and treated me with kindness! You think I can just kill them without hesitation? No! It's not that easy!" I argue vehemently.

C-101 looks me dead in the eyes. "Then make it easy, Faye. You have no other choice. You wanna die? It's them or you." He elucidates.

My voice shrinks. "I can't, Xander. I'm…." "Fine." He interrupts. "We'll deal with this soon."

With that, C-101 slips out the door and into the hallway. I'm not sure what to do, so I decide to force myself to sleep. As I lay in bed, I hear the front door open and close. I think it's Nina or Nick and I'm not alarmed. I close my eyes, trying to push away my consciousness. Time passes and I'm still barely unconscious. I'm jolted awake when I hear a knock on my door once again, this knock is loud and booming. Red jolts up from her slumber and into a sitting position, with her claws out and teeth bared. I hear Nick's voice from a afar. He sounds weary and exhausted. "Kids, can you please go to bed? It is midnight." He complains. I hop out of bed and open my bedroom door, Nick stands at the end of the hallway. His eyes are glued onto something, I turn my head to the left to see C-101, five feet away from my bedroom with a leather glove on his left hand, a sterile mask over his mouth, and a dark handbag.

"Kid, um….why do you have all that?" Nick asks in a uncomfortable voice. C-101 doesn't respond, instead he scrolls over to me.

"Kid….um…..Xander, wasn't it? I'm talking to you. Where did you get all that stuff? I don't remember seeing you with all that." Nick insist with deep confusion. "Can you hear me? Hello?"

I eye C-101 as he inches closer to me. I back away cautiously, not sure what to think or do. "C-101, what are you doing?" I cry. With frightening speed, C-101 slams his leather hand into my face, I let out a short lived, muffled scream as a faint scent hits my nostrils. I know it's the Trigger, I tense up my body instantly. Then I feel a twitch and it's black.

…

When I wake up, I'm drenched in the blood of Nick Yeagers. I'm on top of him, my teeth burying into his throat. I see his toren jugular vein and all the blood. His eyes are lifeless and glassy. I'm staring at Nick with millions of emotions rushing through me. Angst burns within me, tears pours down my cheeks. I sob brokenly, sucking and gasping for air. My throat is choking me, my heart is pulsing a mile a minute. I'm at a loss for words. A pang of nausea hits me like a violent wave, I'm trembling like a leaf. The house no longer feel homey, instead it feels ominous and dreadful. My mind goes blank and my heart sinks. I can't seem to feel my legs or arms. Then I hear a shrill scream of anguish from behind me. I have no time to react as a steel baseball bat collides with the back of my head. "FUCK!" I shriek as I jerk away in pain. I spin around as my vision begins to become blurry. My head throbs with agony, I struggle to stay conscious. I see a furious Alexa, armed with a bat, ready to swing. "YOU CRAZY BITCH!" She screeches. Alexa swings the bat at me, this time I'm able to move out the way. I'm up on my feet, breathing heavily. "YOU….KILLED…...MY DAD!" Alexa hollers at the top of her lungs. Streams of tears runs down her face, she charges towards me full speed, brandishing the bat around. "STOP! I didn't…." The end of the bat socks my right eye and makes me tumble to the floor.

"OWWWW!" I wail.

"OH MY GOD!" I turn my head to see Nina. She stands outside her doorway, mouth wide open, skin pale as snow, her eyes bulging and glassy. She puts both of her hands over her mouth as she gazes at her deceased husband. "N…..Nick…." She whispers brokenly. She raises her voice. "NICK!" Nina drops to her knees and hastily crawls over to him. She shakes him like a madwoman, screaming at the top of her lungs. "NICK! WHAT HAPPENED? NICK! NICHOLAS! NICK!" Nick's blood gets on her hands, but she doesn't seem to care. Alexa halts her attack on me and stands like a statue. Her eyes locks on her parents, suddenly she drops the bat. A strange, horrible sound comes out of her throat. Then she breaks down into tears, hysterical and beet faced. She falls to her knees like her Mother, weeping and sucking for air. "NO! NO!" She whimpers. I look around the area for C-101, but he is out of sight.

Nina averts her eyes towards me. "You….killed my husband…..you…." Nina's eyes are bloodshot red, veins rises on her forehead.

"Nina, I….." I pause. I look down at my clothes, blood is all over me. From my shoes, my pants, my shirt, my arms, face, and even my hair. "I'm…..sorry…." I croak.

Nina rockets herself up, her eyes are unreadable, as she backs into her bedroom. I turn my head towards the hysterical girl behind me. Alexa covers her face with her hands as she bawls.

I hear my bedroom door crack open a bit and Red walks into the hallway. Her claws are still out, she gazes at Nick's body and the sobbing girl behind me. I'm numb, I feel nothing at this point. My healing abilities is working, I can feel it. My vision is returning to normal.

Then it happens. Nina returns and she is armed. She is no longer crying, even though her eyes are still glassy. Her gentle expression is no more, instead her face is contorted with rage and hatred. In her possession is a long shotgun, she loads it up and she aims it directly at me. "Get...the fuck out of my house." She orders harshly.

I'm more hurt than afraid. "N…...Nina...please…." I beg. I shake my head feverishly.

BOOM! I dive to the floor as Nina fires a explosive round. "I SAID GET OUT!" Nina's voice is menacing and intense. "I'LL BLOW YOUR FUCKING HEAD OFF, BITCH!" I look Nina in the eyes. She is devoid of any hint of kindness or love, her eyes are full of hatred and resentment. Nina inches towards me, scowling darkly. "YOU BITCH!" She roars. Nina aims the gun at me once again. Then Red lets out a wild scream and lunges towards Nina. Nina is taken back a bit, her eyes widen and alarmed. Nina has no time to react as Red pounces on her like an animal. Red is on Nina's back, one pair of claws is pierced into her right shoulder and the other is deep inside her left breast. Nina becomes drenched with crimson. Nina screams in anguish, dropping her gun in the process. She wildly flails and tries to shake Red off of her. Alexa is looking on petrified. I stare at this violent ordeal. Too numb to react or move. Red fatally stabs Nina repeatedly, screeching and shrieking as blood spews out everywhere. Nina falls to her knees, becoming limp and silent. Red continues to stab her until Nina is face first on to the floor, surrounded with a pool of hers and Nick's blood. Something catches my eyes and I turn my head to see a teary eyed Harlow. She trembles like a leaf, her hair unkempt and full of knots. Her eyes are bloodshot red, snot runs down her chin. My heart sinks deeper and I'm seconds away from vomiting. "Mom….Daddy…" She whimpers. I force my legs to walk towards her. "Mommy…..Daddy…" She laments. When I get close to her, I'm worried that she saw me kill her Father. She looks at me with a uneasy expression as her trembling worsens. She lets out a soft sob that escalates into a shrill wail of grief. Her tears pours down her little face like a faucet. "WHY ARE YOU COVERED IN BLOOD?" She demands hysterically. "WHAT HAPPENED?"

"Everything is going to be alright. I promise, Harlow." I lie. I glance at Red, she towers over Nina's corpse, staring at me blankly. She's not tensed up and her claws are gone. "She won't hurt you, I make sure of that, Harlow. Stay calm." I say pointedly.

Harlow is too livid with emotions to listen to me. "WHY ARE YOU COVERED IN BLOOD?" She insist. "WHAT HAPPENED TO MOMMY AND DADDY?" I have no idea how to explain all this to Harlow. I slowly walk towards to shaking little girl and kneel down to her.

"We need to go." I whisper into her ear. Harlow looks on at her sister. "ALEXA!" She attempts to run to her, but I don't let her. Without thinking, I grab Harlow's arm, not wanting her to look at this gruesome scene any longer. Harlow kicks and screams and wails as I roughly drag her downstairs and to the front door. She's a light child, but she's a fighter. "NO! NO! NO!" Alexa lets out a sharp gasp. "STAY AWAY FROM HER!" She yells at me. Impulsive, she darts after me, I'm too quick and I unlock the door and push Harlow outside. Alexa makes it outside and attempts to tackle me. I spin out her way and she pathetically falls onto her face. "Faye, how did it go?" I whirl around to see C-101. Immediately, I lunge at him with unbridled rage. C-101 is evasive and jumps out of my range. I fall to my knees onto the grass. When I try to get up, I'm served with a hard punch to the cheek. I fall back onto the grass. C-101 towers over me. "I told you, you will deal with this soon, Favorite." He mocks. "YOU DID THIS!" I scream. I jump back up on my feet and try to attack once again. C-101 simply sways out of my way. I continue my rant as my emotions grow more livid. "WHY? YOU BASTARD! YOU DID THIS! WHY? I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" I threaten. "WHY?" C-101 smirks in a cocky fashion. "Oh...please no, Faye. Don't hurt me..." His voice, childish and mocking. I glare at C-101 with nothing but hate. I want to kill him, I desire to rip out his little throat. C-101 chuckles out of amusement. "You are stupid, aren't you, Faye?" He sneers. "You do realize we can never kill each other, right? If we could, Red would have killed me by now." He exclaims. I lunge at him once again, not caring about his words, he evades me and his smirk gets wider. Red walks outside the house and makes her way to me. I lose my temper. "FUCK YOU, YOU PIECE OF SHIT! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS? NINA AND NICK, THEY WERE NOTHING BUT NICE TO YOU, YOU SHIT! I'M GOING TO RIP YOUR FUCKING THROAT OUT, YOU BITCH!" I hear muffled sobbing from behind me. I turn around to see Harlow and Alexa both wrapped together into a one ball. Harlow clings to her older sister like a lifeline, her once pinkish skin was now sickly pale and her eyes are flooded with tears of despair. I force my unsteady self to walk towards them. But as I do, Harlow notices me and grows rigid with utter terror. Her tears becomes rapid, she squeezes her weeping sister tighter. Her sobbing quickly turns into heavy wails and my heart cracks. I try to think of kind words to say, anything to comfort this poor little girl. I feel great amount of remorse, I did this. I killed her Father, then I allowed Red to kill Nina. But overall I allowed myself to tricked by C-101. That cocky little shit. I'm in a loop of hate and disappointment with C-101. I thought he was a decent person with a heart. But no. I was wrong. I find my voice to say something. "Harlow, listen to me. I'm...sorry...everything is going to be okay!" I say with emotions. I take a one step closer to the two. Red is looking on with very little interest. C-101 is quiet now and he watches on, I hear a short chuckle come out of him. In an instant, Harlow lets out a short scream and jumps behind her sister in fright. She wraps her arms around Alexa's torso and quivers. Alexa wipes her tears and attempts to get up, she falls back down quickly as her body is now unsteady from the traumatizing event that just took place. "STAY AWAY FROM US, YOU BITCH!" Alexa commands.

"NO! PLEASE! LOOK AT ME, HARLOW! I WILL NEVER HURT YOU!" I plead. Alexa snatches up a rock from the ground and hurls it at me, it narrowly misses me by a few inches. "FUCK OFF!" She screeches.

"Nice group of friends you have here." C-101 mocks. I then notice his one of his arms was in front of Red who appears tensed up all the sudden. Alexa is beyond angry and is full of vengeance. She rockets away from her sister, Harlow falls limp onto the grass. Alexa screams at the top of her lungs and charges towards me and Red. "YOU KILLED MY DAD AND MY UNCLE! YOU KILLED MY FAMILY!" She shrieks. I clench down my teeth and I brace myself. BOOM! Eerie silence surges through the night. I let out a bloodcurdling scream as a bullet goes through Alexa's head, killing her instantly. Alexa's lifeless body falls to the ground with a soft thud. Harlow screams hysterically, tugging and yanking at her hair. "Faye, you did partly well." I whirl around to a smiling Winters with a gun in his possession.

"Now finish it or I or Red will finish it." He orders.

 _15 will come soon. This is short, but please enjoy and leave reviews._


	15. Breaking Bonds

15.

* * *

The entire world feels foreboding and ominous. It is cold and moist outside, a chilly winds makes me shiver. I sense a large hole in my heart, the hole widens when I lay eyes on Harlow. The poor child is traumatized and trembling like a leaf. She cries hysterically to herself, she lays on the grass, limp and weak. Her eyes are wide as saucers, terror and depression glistens within them. I shudder at the sight of such a innocent girl who seen too much. My ears begins to ring, I look at Alexa's corpse on the ground, dark crimson and pink particles are everywhere in the grass around her. "Faye, make a decision. Kill the child or choose the alternative choice. Now!" Winters makes me jerk in fright. I have no clue on what to do. I couldn't kill Nick willingly, I was triggered into doing it. I can't imagine myself killing Harlow. No, not in a million years. I turn to Winters with pleading eyes. "Please! No, I can't! She's innocent, she's too young!" I beg, Winters gives me a supposed sympathetic look. "I understand how you feel, Faye. I don't desire to kill a little girl, you know." I can't tell if he is being genuine or not. "But I said no attachments, Faye."

"Then I'll break it in another way! Please!" I plead. "I killed Nick, I…..killed Nina!" I can feel Red's eyes piercing into my back. "I'll find another way! Please, I will do anything you want. I will never disobey you, I will listen to you at all cost, no matter what!" Winters's voice gains a edge of interest. "No matter what?" I glance at Harlow. She doesn't seem to be listening at all, she is in a dazed self induced trance. Her eyes stare dead ahead. I look Winters in the eyes with urgency in my voice. "Winters, I will do anything you please. I will get stronger, I will break my bonds, and I will be obedient no matter what. But I can't kill this little girl. Please." Winters looks at me for a long time silently. My heart rate intensifies every second, I wish I could read his mind. My body begins to tingle. Then my heart nearly stops when Winters suddenly grins and saunters towards Harlow. Without thinking, I step right in front of him, blocking him. Winters doesn't seem offended by my action and continues to grin. "Little girl," He calls out to Harlow. Harlow takes time to snap out of her stupor, her eyes flicks to Winters. "I am very sorry for your loss, you lost so much in a short amount of time. I feel great sorrow for you, honestly. I have two children just like you and I couldn't bear the idea of him and her losing Mommy and me. Come with me, child and I will give you a nice, warm bed to sleep in." Before I can do anything, Winters briskly walks around me and kneels down to Harlow and extends out a hand to her. "I am so sorry, little girl. No one deserves this. I am so sorry for what you saw in there. My name is Rick Winters. I have people who will love to have you as a adoptive daughter." Harlow opens her mouth, but quickly breaks down into tears. Winters gets up and beckons everyone to the van. He calls out to a guard. "Grab the little girl. Give her a blanket and put her in the van. I'm positive her parents are turning as we speak." Within seconds, one guard hurries towards Harlow, hauls her over his shoulder, and carries her to the van. Winters then speaks to me, Red, and C-101, still grinning. "Your mission was partially successful. I will enlist more soon." Winters turns his head to me. "But Faye, you must be true to your words on breaking your bond with the little girl. She will staying at the center where you are, so you can break it there. If I sense any foul play, I will have you both killed immediately. Do you understand me?"

I simply nod my head.

…

When we return to the Center, I am sent to my room and I don't see Harlow for five straight days. For four days, I am woken up earlier than usual, I eat the tasteless food and drink, for two days, I am simply sent back to my room and left there, but the other days, I train with the Sensei and practice combat. I am still poor skilled, but Red is not ordered to fight with me, and practices by herself. C-101 never fights or trains. The night of the Yeagers's massacre drastically changed my relationship with C-101, I have now seen his true colors. I hate him for what he did to me and the Yeagers. But I know I can't kill him, I swallow down my hatred for him. I rarely interact with him, I refuse to speak to him, I abhor the thought of him. Red, still frightens me to the core, for a short period of time after the Massacre, I hated her as well. She brutally murdered Nina, I'm haunted with that scene. But eventually I thought it over and wondered why she killed Nina. She didn't kill her without reason, Nina did attempt to shoot me, then Red killed her. But I still can't shake the feeling of resentment towards her. But compared to C-101, I prefer being with Red. Sleeping properly is a constant challenge, my mind becomes my enemy almost every night. Nightmares of recent events haunts and plagues me like poison. I would toss and turn and sometimes fall out of bed at night. When my nightmares are too much, I would wake up either screaming or crying. When I first returned, I inadvertently soiled my sheets during a terrifying nightmare. Daytime isn't easy either, even though it is more bearable. Intrusive memories of the massacre would flood my mind regardless of what I do. Harlow is a constant on my mind as well. I worry for her well being and especially her mental state. She's going to be scarred for her entire life. And I can't comfort her.

…..

On the sixth day, I'm awaken up by a guard and escorted up to Harlow's small room within the hospital. At first I'm sure the guard will stay and monitor me, but I am wrong. I am left alone with Harlow behind closed doors. I'm utterly baffled, but I brush off my confusion and focus on Harlow. "Harlow….are you okay?" I croak. Harlow looks awful, her skin is pale and sickly. Heavy bags were under her eyes, her hair is a unkempt mess, and her eyes are moist and red. Harlow look at me slowly. "No.." Her voice is a weak whisper. "Mommy and Daddy and Alexa are dead….." Then Harlow lets out a sharp cry, scurries to me, and throws her arms around me. I'm stunned, but I embrace her back. Harlow sobs as she clings to me. "I WANT TO GO HOME!" She wails. I rock her back and forth. Harlow abruptly yanks away from me with a strange flash in her eyes. She looks me in the eyes, sparks of fear rises within them. Harlow backs away cautiously. "You…...killed….Daddy….why….." Harlow continues to step away from me. When I think about the massacre, I only feel emptiness. I cried thousands of tears and now I'm dry as a bone. "I had no choice." My voice lacks emotions, but I'm being truthful. I'm damn lucky that Harlow is still alive. I still question why Winters changed his mind on killing Harlow, I personally believe he is scheming something for me. Harlow shakes a little when I say this.

"Are you scared of me?" I ask bluntly. Harlow stands motionless for a short time, she appears deep in thoughts. "I don't know." She whispers. Tears swell up in her eyes, "Please help me. I want to go home!" Harlow begs emotionally. "You can't." I say pointedly. Suddenly my voice cracks as I force myself to say the truth. "You can never go home. Your home is here with the Fireflies." Harlow begins to weep heavily when I say that. "NO! NO!" She shrieks. I lunge forward and slam my hand over Harlow's mouth roughly. "SHUT UP!" I snap harshly. Harlow becomes stiff instantly. I feel bad, but I ignore the feeling. Anger begins to swell inside me. "You will go to your adoptive family and you will be a good FUCKING girl. Understand me? You will never think of me or anything!" Harlow nods wildly. When I release Harlow, she darts away from me and jumps on her bed. I feel the hotness of this room and I want to open the window. I hop on the bed, which was near the window and open it. The sweet cool air relaxes the tensed environment. Harlow jerks for a quick moment. She speaks haltingly. "Why are you acting so mean?" Her voice trembles. Her little mind couldn't comprehend what was happening.

Without thinking, the truth comes out. "Because Winters said so. I can't be friends with you anymore."

Harlow sniffles. "But why…..are you here?"

I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know."

Harlow lets out a soft sob. "I don't want a new family. I want Mommy, Daddy, and Alexa. I want Uncle Felix! I want to go home!" She weeps. A pang of pity roams through me. I'm tempted to comfort her, but I don't. Instead I simply leave without a word. I walk out the room and notify a guard and I'm escorted back to my cell/room.

….

The next morning, I'm forced to interact with Harlow once again. Today I promised myself I would be the most bitter bitch to the child. Harlow fears me, she have seen me kill her Father, but yet there's still lingering trust within her for me. I was her only friend before all of this madness. I relive the moment I first came to the Yeagers's house. Harlow treated me with kindness and respect, she warmed up to me and was eager to be companions with me. But now, her Mother is dead, her Father is dead, her sister is dead and she probably doesn't know the status of her Uncle. I'm the only thing she have left. Her bond with me will be hard to crack, so I must break it order to protect her. Harlow stares at me haltingly when I first arrive, once again, I am alone. Harlow is still a emotional wreck and is wrapped in her covers. But my eyes catches something different. Plush toys were piled up on her bed. Harlow notices my stare at the toys. "Winters got them for me. He said he wanted to make me feel better. So he got my toys from my house." She explains sheepishly.

I don't say a word. I'm in a constant struggle with my mind. The window next to her bed is wide open, allowing in light rain. Harlow doesn't seem to mind.

"What do you think my…..new…...family will be like…" Harlow asks me as if I had the answers. I cross my arms and glare at Harlow. "I don't fucking know." Harlow shudders, hurt from my response.

"I hope they're nice." She whispers.

 _Me too._ Is what I wanted to say. I do want Harlow to happy. I can only hope she'll be with a loving family that adores and cherishes her. I'm eager to leave, but then the door cracks open and I fear that the guard is in the room. But instead I get something worst.

"Faye, come into the hall with me." Winters commands.

I hold my tongue and obey.

"You still have not broken the bond with her. I have spoken with the little girl, she talks about you and wonders where you are. Odd, considering you killed her parents. The little girl's mind simply can't understand the weight of this situation."

"I'm all she has." I blurt out.

"Her Uncle is still breathing." Winters reminds me. "Her Uncle will not be able to care for her though. So I am being kind and I am giving her a new chance in life. Now you have to do is break her."

"She's already broken." I can't stop blurting out. "Harlow is scarred. She trust me because I was her friend before all of this."

Winters kneels down to me with piercing cold eyes. "Then break her or I will. Do anything, Faye. Anything. Verbal or physical. If you don't do anything within an hour, you will regret not choosing the fourth choice." He threatens. I open my mouth, but I am interrupted by Winters. "Do it. Now. Go to her and break her right now." He orders harshly. I walk into the room quietly, my heart flutters swiftly. I feel so sick and numb at the same time. Winters doesn't move from his spot in the hallway, he is watching me, I know it. A guard appears in the room with me. Winters's words roars in my head. I stand in the room like a statue for a short time, I feel Winters's eyes burning into me. Harlow is beside herself, she looks out the window, she leans her head out the window slightly. Light rain trickles inside. I walk as slowly and silently as I could. My mind goes blank, my heart intensifies, and I become impulsive. Then it happens.

When I'm close enough, I grab the girl by her waist and legs and lift her up. Harlow gasps sharply, her eyes brimful of fright. "I'M SORRY!" I scream. Then I shove Harlow clear out the window. Harlow lets out a deafening screech as she falls fourteen feet down to the grass below. She continues to scream when she hits the ground, her arms and legs are bent unnaturally, she lays on her back, sobbing hysterically and screaming at the top of her lungs in agony. Guards outside run to her and surrounds her. Her screams of anguish burns through me. I think of Harlow's eyes when she saw me pushing her out the window. Numbness rules my body once again, without warning, my stomach lurches and a waterfall of vomit pours out my mouth. I poke my head out the window to look down at Harlow. Harlow's screams suddenly becomes more shrill and frantic, she twists back and forth violently. This reaction causes a few guards to look up at me. I pull my head back and I turn around to Winters smiling proudly. "I didn't exactly meant that. But perfect. The girl will now fear you. Now, you have broken all your bonds with this family. Now you can work properly and become stronger. Soon, I will have a mission for you, you will be joined with Red and C-101 for this mission. In fact, I have one for you very soon. Do what you regularly do and rest up."

"What will I do?" I ask with no emotions. Harlow's screams echoes through the building.

Winters continues to smile, but his eyes hardens. "You'll see." Then he disappears into the hallway.

 _16 will come soon. Please leave reviews and thoughts. I hope you enjoyed this chapter._


	16. The First Mission

16.

* * *

 _(This chapter is about Faye's first mission. This is pretty dark and violent, so you are warned.)_

* * *

It is two days after I shoved Harlow out the window. She was lucky to survive the fall, very lucky considering how high she was. From that fall, both of her legs were broken, her left arm was fractured, her right arm was completely broken, and she broke two bones in her rib cage. So to put it simply; Harlow is fucked up from that fall. I haven't seen Harlow after that, but I know she is terrified of me. I shattered our relationship completely when I pushed her out that window.

Even though I'm deeply saddened by this fact, I accepted it. I still treasure our past friendship, but I can't be her friend, not in this world.

The first thing I hear when I wake up this morning is Winters. "Faye, I have a job for you. There is a man named Carlson Harris, your job is to team up with R-100 and C-101 and kill him. Make it look like a accident. Go."

"Who's that?" I inquire, getting out of bed.

"A man whom you will kill along with the others. Come with me." He explains curt. From his tone, I can hear his annoyance at my question. I decide to become a mute once again, being silent always seems to be my safest bet. I don't know this Carlson Harris, never seen him before or even heard of him until today. So how can I kill him?

My schedule is changed so I can do this mission, I have only four minutes to eat my cold, sugarless oatmeal, two minute to shower and do my hygienic tasks, and one minute to change into my new clothes. I dress myself in all black, a female guard even pinned up my hair into a bun. After my time is done, I'm conducted into the van with R-100 and C-101 by my side. I feel unbridled hatred for C-101, I wish he would simply disappear at this point. I make sure to show my disdain for him by avoiding eye contact with him. C-101 isn't fazed by this. But I don't care, I make sure I sit far away from him, Red is indifferent to the both of us. Once we are all packed up in the van, we head a few miles out of the woods and into a area full of buildings. I'm looking out the window with curiosity. After a long hour of driving, it is dark and we head into a small suburban that is guarded by gates and wired fences. When we first arrive, I catch a glimpse of a sign with black bold letters that say: Firefly Station 143. The neighborhood is full of small brick houses, there's almost no life here. No one is outside and none of the houses had any lights on. We parallel park near the only house that was poorly painted aqua blue. "That's the man's house." Winters confirms. He turns towards us in his seat. "Get into his house and kill him by morning. I know the man's schedule. He arrives from work late at 10:00, it is 9:55. There is a chance that his brother is in the house, from what I know, he is a homeless alcoholic, Carlson allows him to live there."

"So you think he's drunk right now?" C-101 questions.

Winters nods solemnly. "Possibly. Either way, he must die too, if he is present. No one can see you, if anyone does, kill them with no hesitation."

"Yes, sir. How do we get in? I'm sure everything is locked. Do we break in or sneak in?"

Winters answers in a curt voice. " Try the backdoor. Just don't mess up. Find a way. Go." C-101 shuts up instantly and we all get out the van. Once we're all out, the van drives in reverse slowly as it could, until it's out of our sight.

I stare at the van as it seemingly vanishes down a sharp corner. A icy wind blows and I shiver.

"Get down and follow me." I whirl around to C-101, he is couched down and tiptoeing towards the house. Red and I do the same. Both of us follow C-101, quiet as a mice. The house itself seems vacant, there's no lights in the house. The high grass makes my skin itchy as we make it to the backdoor. It is a screen door, it has broken locks on it and is barely hanging by it's hinges. It was almost funny how pathetic the door is.

"Open the door as carefully as you can." C-101 whispers to Red. Red and C-101 exchange a look and they both nod in unison. Red rises up to her feet and walk slowly towards the door. I feel a light nudge on my shoulder. "Faye, keep a lookout." C-101 orders.

I turn my head away from him and I do. I see no one in the area, I didn't worry about Infecteds due to the fences. Red open the door with one hand, the door makes a sudden cracking sound and Red hastily grabs the handle, halting it instantly. C-101 glares at Red. "Dammit, Red! I told you to be careful!" He hiss. Red simply glares back and rolls her eyes quickly. She opens the door slowly and is able to get inside the house without no problem. My nostrils are immediately hit with the sour odor that roamed the house. The smell is strong and sharp, I cover my nose in disgust. The house is untidy, clothes piled on the floors, the smell of urine and feces surged through the air, flies buzzes everywhere. I look at the moldy walls and filthy floors, trying to hold in my breakfast. C-101 and Red aren't fazed by this disgusting place and we all crept towards the living room. The room was barely clean, the furniture was full of scratches and tears. C-101 gets close to Red and whispers something into her ear. Red's eyes flashes for a second, then she pulls away and grabs my wrist suddenly. I jerk my hand back. "What are you doing?" I demand.

"Quiet. Go." C-101 whispers to me harshly. He turns his head towards the staircase and looks me and Red in the eyes and then nods. Red doesn't wait, she grabs my wrist again and tugs me forward. Slowly, we tiptoe up the stairs and into the hallway. Red walks towards the first door, with her claws out and ready to kill. I decide to check the other door across the hall, my heart intensifies as adrenaline rushes through my veins. With a shaky hand, I lightly open the door to see a empty bedroom. Relief flows through me and I close it. Red finds nothing either and returns back to me. There was only two bedroom in the house and both of them were empty.

"No one is here." C-101 shouts out to us. "Get down here."

Once we return back to C-101, he discusses our plan. "Winters wants this man dead. And he wants the death to look like an accident. We need a precise plan," He eyes Red. "We can't just stab him to death or bite him." He turns to me when he say "bite." "We need to hide and sneak attack him." He points a stiff finger at the stairs. "Those are hard stairs. Faye, you sneak up on him and push him down. Red, you're the lookout and I'll handle the rest. Got it?" He declares.

I glare at him coldly. "Why am I the one?" I complain. "What's wrong with you?"

C-101 rolls his eyes. "Because I said Faye." He snaps. "Come on! Let's head down to the basement and hide. Now."

I hold my tongue, but I continue to be cold. The basement is as disgusting as the house. The basement has a leaking issue, evidently from the flooded floors. It's up to our feet when we get in there. The water is murky and brown. The icy water makes me shudder. "This place is just gross!" I blurt out.

"Can't agree more." C-101 mumble. We all stay close to the staircase, standing in this disgusting water. I have enough and sit on one of the stair steps. The basement has one dim light that continuously flickers off and on. C-101 decides to make small talk with me. "What happened to that girl?" He inquires nonchalantly. I don't answer and I refuse to look at him. C-101 shrugs his shoulders lazily and stops talking to me. Then suddenly my mind races. My hatred for C-101 rises up within me. How dare he talk to me? After he makes me kill the Yeagers! After he beat me himself! Without thought, my mouth becomes faster than my mind. "Why did you give me the Trigger?" I demand.

"Because I did." He answers curtly.

"NO!" My emotions rises out of the deepest depths of my mind. "You made me kill Nick!"

"So?"

I just want to slap him. "Why?" I cry, my voice becoming shrill. "They never done anything to you!"

"Neither has this guy!" He argues. C-101 narrows his eyes. "Look, I did what I had to do. You were going to do nothing, Faye. So I decided to be progressive."

I open my mouth to protest but C-101 cuts me off. "I don't know that family. But what I did know they needed to die. Winters would have killed them anyway or Red would have."

"Oh you were helping me! Thanks, C-101. I really appreciate your help!" I snap sarcastically.

C-101 becomes cold. "That family didn't mean shit to me. They were doomed from the start. And I did help your sorry ass, not to mention my own ass! I'm not willing to fail because of you!"

I raise my voice. "You didn't know what I was going to do!" I retort. "You're just a monster!"

C-101 gesture a hand towards the side of his scaly facial trait. "Thanks, Faye. You are too sweet, fungal bitch." He hiss. Then C-101 takes a deep breath and sigh. "Faye, you are in a world full of killers." His voice deep with urgency. "You're a killer, Red's a killer, the Fireflies are killers. Winters is a killer, everyone is a killer. The ones that don't kill are dead. You think this is a fairy tale? This is real life. We live in a world that is infected. A world where you must kill. Happy endings doesn't exist, not for us, not for anyone."

"I killed people in self defense! I killed people to protect myself!" I protest. "I never committed murder!"

C-101 smirks. "Well you did try to kill that eight year old girl by throwing her out the window." I gasps sharply and glare at C-101.

"Who told you that?" I demand.

"No one. All the guards were talking about it and I heard it. Not everyday, you see a little girl nearly fall to her death. You're more darker than me. And what about that guy you killed…..um…...Tim? Yeah I heard about him too." My heart races when he reminds me of Tim. "You fucking stabbed that guy in the neck! You are a killer, whether it's defense or cold blooded murder." I immediately feel sick. I remember all of killings. How many lives have I taken? I don't know anymore. I killed the guards at the last Fireflies base. I killed Diana and I still can't say I'm guilty about this. In fact, I don't feel remorse for the deaths of those guards at all. They deserved it in my mind. Tim did as well, he tried to kill me! Then I think about Felix, I desired to kill him before all of this. I probably would have if I had the chance. I do want to kill Winters because I abhor him. C-101 makes me think of my dark history. I am a killer. I'm not a good person. But I never wanted to kill Nick, Nina, or anyone of the Yeagers family who treated me kindly. I had no reason to. I lost my desire to kill Felix once he protected me, even after he abandoned me. I feel like I own him his life. I nearly did kill Harlow. To be honest, I was just being rash at that point. I really didn't know what I was doing. I think about C-101's words. He's right, we are in a world where killing and fighting is the only way to survive. I'm willing to kill if it means I'll live and many others hold that same thought process. I'm not sure what to think. C-101 is also right about Winters. He would have killed the Yeagers family anyway. But I can't forgive C-101, I can't stand his lack of emotions on this subject. He's treating the deaths of the Yeagers as if it was a simple paper cut!

I take one step to him. "Aren't you a killer?" I ask with bitterness.

"Nope. I never killed anyone. I'm all brains, not strength. Red's the one that does the killing. I just give orders and sit on the sidelines." C-101 explains.

I open my mouth to say something, but we hear a door open up stairs. The walls are thin and weak.

"CARLSON!" The voice is a male. It is wobbly and booming. His footsteps are loud and heavy.

"This is probably his brother." C-101 mutters.

A question I should have asked before pops into my mind. "Why are we killing this man?"

C-101 shrugs his shoulders. "Because we were ordered too. Winters probably has bad blood with this guy."

"Do you even know him?" I whisper short.

"As much as you do." He whispers back with a another shrug. C-101 then turns towards Red, who is indifferent to everything. "Red, we need to be silent when we kill this bastard. We can kill this guy like normal. Carlson is the special one." Red solemnly nods and begins to pace up the stairs, her claws comes out of her hands slowly.

 _Does Red feel remorse?_ I ponder. I begin to wonder if Red has a moral compass. I've seen her killing before, she never show any pleasure, at least facially. Generally, she never smiles nor frown. Her lips is always in a thin line. I wonder if she enjoys killing or hate it? I'll never know. I think about this mission again. I'm not sure how I feel about killing someone I never met. All the people I killed were people I knew. But I will have to kill him. I push back my morals, I promised Winters I would be loyal and obedient. Even I hate him, I fear him too. Not only that, I fear the outside world. I have no one to go to, I have no home to stay in. I have nothing. Red makes it up the steps and opens the basement door, we all follow her in a slow line and we make our way to the living room. We see a unkempt, thin man with shaggy, yellow hair laying on the couch, drool dripping down his cheek. I spot a odd looking rolled up brown object on the coffee table. Next to the brown thing a bottle of wine that's almost empty. The entire living room has a lingering odd smell. The man lets out a loud belch, making me jump.

The man suddenly stirs in his seat and turns his head to us. "What the fuck are…...you…...elves doing here…..it ain't Christmas yet…..get the fuck out of here…..man…." His words are slurs and wobbly. I tense up instantly in fear. But it passes. This man is high and drunk, he's no harm to us. We all stand stiffly, the air becomes tense and heavy.

Red is glaring at this man, ready to pounce at any moment. Then...BAM! BAM! The knock of the front door makes me jerk.

"Calvin, open the door! I lost my keys!" Then there's more knocks. C-101 pushes me roughly and points back to a nearby closet. "Hide!" He barks to us. We all scurry into the closet and I lightly close the door. We jam in there and stay quiet. The knocking becomes impatient and so does the voice. "CALVIN! WAKE UP AND LET ME IN! ARE YOU THERE, CALVIN?"

Seconds passes and Calvin finds the strength to get up. I hear the hard fall he makes when he does.

The door opens and I hear the other man groan. "Dammit, Calvin. I told you to clean this place up! This house looks like shit! And you're wasted again, aren't you? I told you to not get high at my place!"

His brother mumbles something, then he raises his voice. "Carlson, you…..are….such a…...bitch sometimes…..man…..it's just weed, bro. No big deal."

Carlson is having none of it. "Shut the hell up! You're in my house, man! I asked you a million times to not get high or drunk. But you still do. Now my house is a mess, I have enough problems without your wasted ass making it worst."

It feels so surreal to listen to all of this. My morals are still suppressed, but I still wonder why I'm here. I don't have a reason to kill this man nor his brother. But Winters will be much worst if we fail. A tiny part of me feels bad about all of this, but the rest of me is…..well neutral. I feel myself numb up again.

Then we hear footsteps walking up the stairs. I'm not sure whose footsteps it is.

"Calvin, I am giving you three days to clean yourself up and throw out all these drugs! You are gonna get me in trouble with this crap! It's bad enough that asshole Winters is up my ass everyday, now I have to come home to this bullshit!" In an instant, I realize the footsteps belong to Carlson.

Calvin sluggishly replies back. "I…...will…..will...I….will, Carl. Just give a few days and I'll be clean as soap." It's quiet for a moment. Then Calvin speaks again. "Hey, Carl,...have you seen some elves around here?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I saw…...some….small ones in….the house…...they were just here, but right now…...they're hiding."

Carlson groans in annoyance. "You are hopeless, Calvin. I swear to God, if I see you wasted one more time, I'm kicking you to the curb." He threatens. Then I hear a loud door slam.

"Red, kill him as fast as you can! Faye and I will take care of Carlson!" C-101 whispers urgent. Red nods only once and C-101 opens the door. Calvin lays on the couch again. Red runs towards him with her claws out and ready. The man is too intoxicated to react as Red penetrates his chest with both of claws. Calvin lets out a small gasp, the faint scent of blood hits the air. He dies once Red pulls out her claws. I look at this man's body with nothing in me. I grow numb and blank faced. I don't feel emotional over this man's death. C-101 gives me a rough nudge and points to the staircase. He hands me a pocketknife. "GO!" He whispers harshly. I slowly walk up the staircase and I hide in a nearby closet by the stairs. Then I hear a jarring pounding on the door. I open the closet door slightly and peek out.

"Calvin, get the door!" Carlson yells from his bedroom. The pounding continues and the man is stubborn. "CALVIN! GET THE DOOR! ARE YOU DEAF?" He snarls. The pounding continues and Carlson loses his patience. He jerks his bedroom door open and rushes out of his room with a scowl on his face. "CALVIN!" Carlson is a slim man with a round face, a balding head, and almond shaped dark eyes. Carlson stands near the stairs, fuming about his brother. My heart thunders in my chest. I know what to do. Adrenaline rushes through me, I tighten my grip on the pocketknife as my mind races. Then it happens, I'm quiet, but quick. I'm right behind the unsuspecting man. I get my pocketknife ready and with all my might I stab Carlson in the back. Carlson reacts instantly by falling to his knees in agony. The man is stunned and taken back, he nearly falls down the stairs before he grabs the rails. His head whirl around to me. His eyes are full of alarm and fear. "THE HELL?!" He cry. Blood paints his back with crimson, he groans in pain, trembling like a leaf. I freeze for a moment, my body begins to shake and I feel sick. But then I remember Winters and all my anxiety vanishes. I kick the helpless man in the face with all of my might. Carlson immediately loses his grip and rolls down the stairs. He rolls head first and he looks like he's doing somersaults. He screams and cries in pain, I suddenly hear three cracks. The first crack, he lets out a sharp cry, second he lets out an agonized scream, and the third, he is silent and falls to the floor with his neck in a unnaturally angle. Then he dies.

I walk down the stairs, my eyes glued on the two dead men. I wait for emotions to hit me, but I feel nothing. I'm just numb to the core. I step over Carlson's body and hurry towards C-101 and Red.

C-101 narrows his eyes. "We need to burn this place down. To make sure there's no evidences." He turns to Red. "Get some gasoline. I saw some outside, come on!" He orders. With that, C-101 and Red hurry out the house. I'm all alone, staring at the bodies with a blank mind. I just want to leave this place, be far away from here. Raw tears suddenly rolls out of my eyes without warning. I think of Nina, Harlow, Alexa, and Nick. I miss them so much. I feel so empty, I feel the hole in my heart get bigger every second. "FAYE!" C-101's voice snaps me of it. "COME ON!" I immediately smell smoke and the smell of something burning. I rush out the backdoor and I see the entire house in the process of being engulfed in flames. I spot a gasoline tank nearby the house. The house takes a few moment and eventually the house is swallowed whole by flames. We run away once the heat becomes unbearable. "FOLLOW ME!" C-101 shouts as he darts across the street. "I KNOW WHERE WINTERS IS PARKED!" Red and I are on his heels, I try my best not to trip or tumble in the high, tangled grass. We find Winters's van fairly quickly and we hastily jump inside. Winters looks at us with a dull expression on his face. He speaks gravely. "You have completed your mission." He say in a fact of manner voice. Then we drive away from this place. The ride is quiet for a long time, my mind races with a million of thoughts zooming around in my head. My hands are shaking, I look at them, my left hand is caked with dried blood, I'm still holding the pocketknife in my hand.

"Faye, I have a mission for you." My heart jolts when Winters say that to me. I'm afraid to speak.

"Talk to Felix for me. He wants to know about his family's well being. I think you should tell him." Winters say in a cold voice.

 _17 will be out soon. Leave reviews and enjoys. (Next chapter, Faye will tell Felix about his family's fate.)_


	17. Winters and Felix

17.

* * *

I stand stiffly in front of the closed door of Felix's hospital room. I feel myself falling into a self induced trance. How do I tell this man about his family's fate? That they died horribly? That his brother's throat was ripped open, that his sister in law was brutally stabbed to death, that his eldest niece was shot in the head. I have never felt so nervous, my entire body is fighting violently inside me. I just want to run away from this place.

 _Faye! Stop being a coward and do it! Winters will do much worse_! I order myself silently. With brutal will, I suppress my anxiety and I push the door open. Felix lays in his bed and stares at me when I enter. "What are you doing here?" He demands.

I say nothing. I struggle to find my ability to speak, I bottle up my urge to run and retreat. Felix's stare shifts into a glare. "Why are you here?" His voice, impatient and bitter.

I finally find my voice. "I want to talk about your family." I say in a plain voice. Felix's eyes light up.

"Why?" He ask.

"Because you…...asked Winters." I tell him.

Felix squints. "No, I didn't. I said nothing about my family to that man!" He declares.

I look at Felix, baffled. _Did Winters lie to me?_ I think. Then I immediately feel dumb. I want to kick myself at the realization. Winters tricked me and I fell for it like a fool.

Felix looks at me with confusion, I take a step closer to the door, eager to leave. "Why did you tell me that? Why are you here, I thought Winters took you far away from here?" He insist.

My lips quiver. "I don't know." I can't help my shaking. Felix sees this instantly and knows I'm hiding something. He narrows his eyes, sitting up straight in his bed. He winces in pain for a second, but he ignores it and continues to question me. "Why did you mention my family?" He demands.

My head spins as I think of what to do. I can't even feel my legs, I want to retreat so badly, but for some reason, I can't. It's like an unseen force is holding me hostage in this room.

Felix begins to lose his patience. "Why did you say that? Did something happen?" He ask me in a stern voice.

My words flow out of me without warning. My voice is shaky and timid. "Yes." I squeak.

Felix's expression lights up with alarm. "What?"

I'm quiet for a moment, I clutch my left hand with a right hand, squeezing it. My stomach boils with bitterness and my ears begins to ring. I bite my lower lip as if that would stop the truth from escaping my mouth.

Felix becomes mad because of my silence. "Faye, I asked you a question!" He growls. The intensity in his voice makes me jerk. I feel like the walls of the room closing in on me. Felix's face contorted with anger and frustration. My heart pounds in my chest like a jackhammer. I feel so much pressure inside, I feel like I'm going to burst at any moment. Finally I break, my words shrill, quick, and incoherent. "I don't know! Something horrible happened to them! They're dead! They…." I cry.

Felix's eyes widen. "What?"

This is too much for me. This entire thing is eating me up inside. I burst into tears and weep. Felix looks at me for a long time. I try to read his face like a book, but I see nothing.

"Get Winters." He orders suddenly.

I'm taken back by his order. "Why? I'm alone!"

"Not you're not." As if on cue, Winters appears in the doorway. He pushes a dark bang out of his eyes. I whirl around, startled. "Winters?" I cry out of shock. I almost feel like laughing because of his random appearance. I was sure I was all alone when I was taken here.

Winters smiles cordially. "Nice to see you again, Mr. Yeagers." He say politely. Felix scowls darkly. "What the fuck is wrong with this girl?"

Winters appears confused and clueless. "I beg your pardon, sir?" He squints.

Felix lifts up his casted arm and points to me. "She came in here and told something bad happened to my family! That they're dead! And she told me that you know something about it, saying I asked you!"

Winters's demeanor is cool and well mannered. "Sir, I have never told her anything. I don't know anything about your family, nor their well being." He turns to me and kneels down to me. He speaks to me in a condescending, but soft voice. "Faye, why would you tell Mr. Yeagers a lie like that?" He asks. I can only stare at him, my mouth drops in shock. _This son of a bitch_. I ball up my fists as my blood begins to boil. I'm not going to be tricked again. "YOU TOLD ME TO TALK TO HIM!" I make sure I'm shouting so Felix can hear. Winters's gentle look becomes a cold one and I become stiff as a statue. My lungs begins to tighten with fear, beads of sweat rolls down my face. Winters puts a smile on his face once again when he looks up at a perplexed Felix. He becomes more angst and impatient. "What is she talking about? Why are you here?" He probes.

"I am deeply sorry for Faye's behavior. She's been acting out due to these hard times. Ever since I took her under my wing, she's been unruly."

"Why is she here? Didn't you tell me she's apart of some program or something crazy shit?" Felix insist.

Winters nods his head. "Yes, Mr. Yeagers, I told you Faye was apart of a Training program for children in this Infected world. I had Faye with me for a long time after her parents tragically perished when she was only a baby. I cared for her like she was one of mine." Winters steps closer to me and rustles my hair playfully with a warm smile on his face. I am at a loss for words, I'm impressed with Winters' well fabricated story. "She ran away and the guards went after her. Unfortunately those guards lost their lives, but Faye ran to your family and found shelter. I am very sorry for Faye's behavioral issues. I try to sort her out, she is sadly a very troubled child." Winters' voice is brimful of compassion. I just want to scream at Winters's webs of lies.

My mind races. So Winters never told Felix my real secret? He just made up this lie!

I stare at Felix, hoping that he would see through Winters's bullshit. But it looks like Felix doesn't even care. "I didn't ask for your entire life story, Winters. Why in the hell is this girl coming up to me telling me something bad happened to my family when I'm stuck in a damn hospital? Is this some twisted joke?"

Winters opens his mouth, but Felix cuts him off. "I also never heard Faye even say a word about you." He points out. I feel a spark of hope within me. Winters lowers his eyes. "Like I said before, Faye is a troubled child. Evidently on her lying issues, she has this urge to gain individuals's attention and is willing to fabricate wild stories in order to get a few looks. Faye grew close to your family because perhaps yours had something special. I tried to bond with Faye like I do with my own children. Faye probably felt like the unfavorite in my family of biological children. My wife isn't close to Faye either, and Faye was never close to any of us. But we still love her and when she ran away, it broke our hearts. I'm not shocked that Faye didn't mention me or my family, she always had some resentment towards me and my family."

Felix gives me a odd look, an expression that I can't read. "So why is she here?" He asks bluntly.

"Faye asked about you constantly. She would talk about your family and you all the time." Felix glances at me. He then changes the subject. "When am I going to be able to leave this place?" He ask.

"Soon, very soon." Winters studies him for a moment. "You're healing nicely, the nurses told me that you'll be walking in a week or two. And again, thank you for being so patient with Faye and her volatile temperament. She's been asking so much about you, she talks about your family and you all the time."

This gets Felix's attention. He gives me a cold look. "You told him about my family." His voice upset and bitter. Winters answers for me before I could open my mouth. "She doesn't talk badly about your family. She obviously adored them."

Felix scowls and changes the subject quickly. "Where is my vehicle?" He demands.

"It is being worked on. I know you will love it. I made sure to pick the best I could find. Would you like anything else, Mr. Yeagers? Just ask, you saved and protected Faye with your life. It's hard to find men as honorable as you."

Felix looks unhappy and frowns. "Thank you." He croaks. "I will be able to leave in a few weeks, correct?" He adds quickly.

Winters nods. "Yes." Then he looks at me. "Faye, you have something to tell Mr. Yeagers. Yes?"

I'm taken back by his sudden question. "What?"

Winters lets out a amused chuckle. "Faye, you don't remember? You kept asking me over and over again that you wanted to see Felix." He gives me a warm smile, but speaks in a stern voice. "Why would you lie, sweetheart? Apologize to Mr. Yeagers at once!"

NO! I'm sick of this! I have had it. Fear tries to hold my courage hostage. My mind is screaming at me to be obedient. I do fear Winters, I fear his wrath and his torture. But I hate what he is doing to me. He tricked me, he's smearing me. The pressure of this situations puts heavy weights on my brain, my head throbs painfully. Defiance escapes out my body and into the real world.

"NO! I HAVE NOTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR!" I feel my face becoming hot, I shake with anger, my voice shrill and full of livid emotions. Felix's eyes widen at my sudden outburst, Winters narrows his eyes. My heart sinks, but I can't stop myself. I whirl around to Felix, staring him dead in the eyes. "FELIX, HE IS LYING! HE KNOWS, HE KNOWS EVERYTHING! HE NEVER ADOPTED ME! I NEVER EVEN MET HIS FAMILY!" I point a stiff finger at Winters. I glance at him and see a frown upon his face. For once his expression makes me feel good. YES! TAKE THAT, YOU BASTARD! I cheer in my head. Pride swells within me. I keep going. "FELIX, WINTERS IS LYING TO YOU! HE'S A BAD PERSON! PLEASE, WHEN YOU GO, PLEASE TAKE ME WITH YOU! PLEASE!" I beg. Felix stares at me as if I lost my mind.

"No." He declares coldly.

I can't help but feel hurt. Forceful tears swells in my eyes. "WHY?" I shriek.

"Because I want nothing to do with you." He explains harshly. More tears floods my eyes. I feel more cracks in my heart.

"You lied to me, you nearly got me killed. Then you have the balls to come up here and tell me my fucking family is dead! What the hell is wrong with you? You are not coming with me. I told you, I was bringing you here to give you back. I did my part and I am done." His words hits me like daggers. "I want nothing to do with you. I did my part. You lied to me and tried to get my family involved."

I burst into tears again. I let out a uncontrollable sob. I struggle to speak through my weeping. "I…...thought…..why…..please…..Felix…..please…" I stutter. I shut my mouth again and I give up. I cry my little heart, trying to fight the urge to curl up into a ball.

…..

It's a warm afternoon when Felix is ready to walk. I stayed at the Hospital, monitored closely by guards for weeks waiting for Felix to heal. Winters keeps his promise to Felix, he gifts him with a fine black SUV with bountiful amounts of guns and bullets. Even though he is still casted up, he is still eager to drive away in this new car. I didn't know when Felix left, until Winters told me he just did. Then Winters and a bunch of guards conduct me into a silver van and drive away from this place also.

I sit in the back like always and I look out the window mindlessly. I examine the area as we drive. All I see is trees and trees and more trees. My heart sinks of the thought of returning back to the Center. My tear ducts are dry as a sand, I want to cry my heart once again, but I can't. Instead I just think to myself. I imagine myself as a bird. I see myself soaring through the nice sky, I see nature in it's purest form. No humans, no Infected, not even me. Just nature and the sky. The sky is a beautiful baby blue, there were no clouds in the sky. It's a lovely day actually.

I keep to myself as time passes. I ponder on the reason why I'm not restrained. There are guards near me like always, but I'm not tied up or anything. Then I wonder why this ride is taking so long, I didn't remember the drive to the Center to be this long. We turn one sharp turn down this pathway I never seen before, there's less trees now, I see something in the background. Something dark and black. Then we make it up to the house.

"NO!" I blurt out. My mouth drops at the sight of the ransacked farm of the Yeagers house. We are behind the darkened house, I can still smell smoke fuming off the house. The house's walls are no more, the windows are all broken, in the inside, there's only blackness. The roof is nothing but rubble. The farm area is worse, I see large patches of dirt everywhere, there's black patches of grass, dead farm animals are scattered and the others are missing, the fence is no longer sturdy. The barn appears to have been burned down as well.

I hear a the car door open. "Get out, Faye." Winters orders me when we park. Without thought, I do. The sight of the house makes me speechless. We walk around the house together, Winters is quiet and I'm taking everything in.

"What…...happened…" I squeak.

"The house burned down." Winters explains to me in a matter of fact voice.

I stop in my tracks. My voice becomes angry and accusing. I'm hesitant in my mind to speak out of fear of punishment, but I am rash. "WHAT DID YOU DO? YOU DID IT! DIDN'T YOU?" I demand, unable to control my shrill tone.

Winters stops in his tracks as well. The look he gives me makes me flinch for a moment. I fear that he is going to physically harm me at any moment. I brace myself and take one step back. He doesn't harm me and stares me in the eyes. "Faye, enough with this defiance. One more outburst and I'll make you regret the day you were born in that lab." His words, oddly enough, didn't frighten me, it is his tone that makes me scared. Soft and menacing. Then I hear a car far off in the distance.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Felix cries out. I then hear a sharp car door slam. "NINA! HARLOW! NICK! ALEXA! WHERE ARE YOU?"

My legs reacts before my mind does. I'm running at top speed towards Felix. "FELIX! FELIX!" I cry. Felix whirls around to me startled.

"Faye! Come back!" Winters shouts. "Come back here, Faye." I stop in my tracks and turn around to see Felix briskly hurrying towards me. When he's close to me, his entire demeanor becomes crestfallen and sad. "Oh...my...God." He say quietly. He walks pass me and towards Felix. He's staring at something now, his back is turned to me and Winters. My curiosity gets the better of me and I scurry closer to Felix to see what he is looking at.

"No….." I whisper hollow. I lower my eyes at the sight of graves. Freshly dug up graves. I glance at Felix, he is not crying, he is red in the face. He looks like he's fighting tears. I flinch when he abruptly falls to his knees, his eyes glued to the ground.

"Fuck…." Is all he mutters.

Without thinking, I place a comforting hand onto his shoulder. "Felix, I…...I am so sorry." I croak. Felix looks up at me, stone faced. He talks like he's out of breath. "You….knew…...you knew…." He stammers. Then his expression becomes sour, with an angry groan, he roughly jerks away from me and stands up. "You…..knew...about my family!" His voice is low, but shaky.

Felix tightened up his fists, his face becoming purple at this point. "You knew what happened to my family!" He glares at me angrily. "Why the fuck are you here?"

I stay quiet, I have no words to say. Felix's glares moves to Winters. "You!" He booms. "What the fuck are you doing here? What happened?"

Winters remains polite. "Sir, I am deeply sorry about your loss. I'm sorry, but I do not know what happened. I was taking a walk through the forest with Faye when I came upon this house. I...was not aware this was your house, Mr. Yeagers."

Felix turns away from the both of us, letting out an exhausted sigh. "Oh my God." He breathes.

I hear a quick sniffle. "What...happened?" His voice, desperate and weak. I look at the graves, I feel sick with remorse. I want to curl up in a ball and cry my heart so badly. My heart sinks deeper and deeper as I continue to look at the graves in despair.

Winters clears his throat. "Faye," He walks towards me. Winters kneels down to me with a small smile. "You should give the Yeagers a heartwarming speech. Talk about what you liked about them the most. Please, Felix needs it. Just wait for one second." Before I can do anything, Winters shouts out to a guard. I stare at Winters in silence. Moments later, a guard arrives with three bouquets of flowers. The guard gives it to Winters and Winters hands them to me. Winters leans towards me and whispers softly into my ear. "Put the flowers on their graves and think about the lives you ended."

My eyes widen with fear, I can't help but shake. My lips quiver in anxiety. My heart pounds rapidly in my chest.

Winters becomes impatient and threatening. "Do it or else." In an instant, I whirl around to the graves and I take one step towards one of them. I have no idea whose grave I'm looking at. So I guess. "N….Nick….thank you. Thank you. You saved me from that Clicker. You…...were a amazing man…..I…." My voice cracks. I stop talking, pluck out a flower out of the bouquet and place lightly onto the grave.

My legs feels heavy when I make it to the second grave. I glance up at Felix, he is sitting on the grass, looking at the ground with tears in his eyes. His expression is broken and downcasted.

"Nina…...I…...you were so nice to me. You showed me so much kindness. I loved your cooking, I loved doing chores with you. I enjoyed talking with you and tasting your food. You were…...like…..a….Mother….to me…..you….were….so….nice…" Tears run down my cheeks. I did the same thing I did to Nick's grave.

Then I'm at presumably Alexa's grave. I didn't like Alexa for many reasons. She didn't show me kindness when I first arrive. She treated me like her Uncle. She was bitter and distant when she was around me. But on the other hand, I did kill her Father and she had every right to distrust me. "Alexandria, I am…...very sorry….you…..had every right to not like me…...we didn't play or talked together…..but….I'm sorry…..you didn't deserve this….no one does….."

I feel a light tap on my shoulder. "Faye, good job, honey." Winters talks loud enough so Felix can hear. I glance at Felix again, he is in the same position. He doesn't seem to be listening at all, he is in a stupor. Winters then wraps his arms around me and draws me into a warm embrace. "You are a really strong little girl, Faye." He whispers.

Winters releases me and walks over to Felix's. "Felix."

Felix takes a second to snap out of his stupor. When he does, he is outraged to see Winters's face. "Why? Why are you here?"

"Mr. Yeagers, I just walked upon this tragedy. Sir, I am sorry for my insensitivity. I truly am. I will leave if you want me to." Felix's eyes find its way to me and I begin to panic in the inside. "Girl…..what….happened…."

I open my mouth, but only air comes out. Felix places both of his hands onto his face as he exhale heavily. I hear him crying. He turns away from us again and weeps to himself. "No….no….no….no…..no…..no…..please…..no…" He sobs in a soft voice.

"F…...Felix….I…..am...I'm sorry about your family." I say sincerely. Without thinking, I walk towards Felix and hold out the flowers to him with raw tears flowing down my face. Felix glances up at me with a cold look in his eyes. "Stay away from me." He growls. I flinch, hurt. Felix backs away from me.

"Mr. Yeagers, forgive me if I sound insensitive, but the Fireflies will help you in your time of need." Winters offers. "Please, we have food, water, resources, and security. You deserve it, Mr. Yeagers."

Felix scowls grimly, his face is contorted with both anger, sadness, and disgust. "No." Felix snaps. "I am not joining your group."

Winters is quiet for a moment. He lowers his eyes for a quick moment. "I am sorry that you feel that way. Perhaps you will change your mind in the later future. Remember, Mr. Yeagers, follow the light. That is the Fireflies' motto."

"No thanks." Felix objects.

Winters appears shocked. At first I'm baffled by Winters' expression. Then I realize that Winters is seeing his plan die right in front of him. It explains why he never made me kill Felix. Felix is strong man with broad shoulders and great strength. Winters did value strength more than anything. He must have thought making him lose his entire family would cause Felix to join the Fireflies. But for once, Winters failed.

"I will never join this group. This scam is nothing to me. Stay the fuck away from me. I never want to see you." Felix snarls. With that, he hastily rushed to his SUV, he dives inside and makes the vehicle come alive.

This is the first time I ever seen Winters lose his cool. "WAIT! MR. YEAGERS!" Winters yells out. He makes his way to the car. But Felix is quick and drives away from the place as fast as he could. His tires leaves holes in the dirt.

Winters lowers his head and sighs, disappointed. "Dammit." He mutters unhappy.

Despite my despair and sorrow of this moment, I burst out laughing. I chortle and giggle at the sight of Winters' failure. I just find it funny and ironic. Winters whirls around to me, with a dark look on his face. I can't stop my laughing.

"GUARDS! PUT ON SOME GLOVES AND COME HERE!" My laughing cease and I flinch at the intensity in his voice.

I glance over at the guards. They scurry towards the van and obey. Within seconds, eight of them arrive. They're all wearing leather gloves, their uniforms are thick and leather along with dark helmets.

I start to tremble in trepidation. "Winters….please…." I plead.

Winters snaps his two fingers. "Do it. Now." One guard speaks. "Um...what sir?" He ask.

"Beat her. I want the girl disciplined." He explains.

The same guard glances at me and speaks again in a halting voice. "Can't you…..just put her in timeout?" He suggest.

Winters is having none of it. "Beat her right this instant. The girl needs to learn that defiance and disrespect will not be tolerated by me."

"NO!" I cry. I try to run, but guards are blocking my way.

"Either, you beat her now or you face me later." Winters threatens. "Do it."

The guard that protested clears his throat and walks up to me. "Look, kid. This will hurt only a little bit, okay?" Then I find myself on the ground, I don't remember falling to the ground at all. The left side of my cheek is burning and red.

"Keep going."

I let out a sharp cry when I'm served a kick to my right side. I suck and gasp for air violently.

One guard stomps my head with his heavy boot, making me dizzy and disoriented. I scream and shriek in pain as I'm beaten by the other guards. Time passes, my body is healing itself as I'm being beaten. I feel both the tingling and the pain of the beating.

"Enough!" The beating stops. "Faye, get up and go to the van. Now."

Unsteady, I make the effort to move my weak limbs. When I pick myself up, I do what I'm told. I run towards the van at top speed. I spill into the van and sit down. I'm covered in dirt, my hair is matted and unkempt, I have pieces of grass in my mouth. I remain silent when Winters and the guards returns to the van. I say nothing and I do nothing. As we drive off, I watch with a heavy heart as we leave the Yeagers house. I think of Harlow, the traumatized child who have to live without her loving parents and sister. I think of Nina, the kindhearted woman who was protective of her family and nurtured me like I was her own child. Nick, the sweet tempered man who loved his family and saved me when he had no reason to. Alexa, the young girl who disliked me, but loved and cherished her family. Felix, the man I respect and hate at the same time, the man who protected me from those Fireflies, the man who cared deeply for his family. All gone. Now I'm here. With Winters, R-100, C-101, and dozens of guards.

 _18\. will come soon. Please leave reviews and thoughts. Criticism is welcomed. Constructive criticism._


	18. Winters's Son

18.

* * *

Two years passes after Felix left. It's so surreal to think of the past. From the death of Mucker, to my escape from the Firefly Hospital, to meeting the Yeagers family, to me getting shot and Felix killing almost all those men, to me killing Tim, to James's disappearance, to meeting Rick Winters, to meeting R-100 and C-101, to Felix's abandonment to my torture, to the massacre of the Yeagers, and Felix abandoning me again. On the bright side, Harlow successfully found a family and a home she can call her own from what I heard. When I think of Harlow, I feel emptiness, the last time I interacted with her I pushed her out of a window. My personality has changed drastically over time. Generally I'm a quiet person, nowadays, I have become taciturn. I'm not like Red who is basically a mute. I do speak sometimes, but usually I'm silent. I'm like a mouse in this place. I'm scared of Winters and I dread the guards and their weapons. I keep quiet for my safety and well being. I have given up the thought of escaping and killing Winters. I abhor him, but I fear the unknown more. There's nothing out there for me in the outside world. No purpose, no loved ones, no home, just nothing. My thoughts of hatred for Winters still roams in my mind, but I stay tight lipped and obedient. I try to be like Red, emotionless. I struggle to gain the ability to suppress my emotions, but in vain. There are still many nights where I have dreadful nightmares and nights where I have crying fits after a night terror.

My birthday passes and I stand in front of the brand new mirror that hangs on my wall. I look quite different now. I still have my baby face and freckles, but I'm slightly taller and slender. Before I was issued an haircut, my brown hair was long and thick. Now it's back to my shoulders like in the past.

When I'm alone in my room, I have nothing to do, but think and wait. I wait for Winters to come and tell me things. Sometimes he doesn't come and I think to myself to pass the time.

When he does, he often gives me missions. I've been on a ton of them lately. Me, Red, and C-101 would be given the order to kill an individual and we would do it. Anyone Winters had a major issue with would end up dead by our hands. We slayed members of the Fireflies that crossed Winters in some way, people who quit the Fireflies, Fireflies who commit crimes like theft, and so on. I manage to numb myself when I'm on these missions. I just do it. Our team works in its own way, I'm not the leader type, so C-101 takes the role as leader. He's the brain of our little outfit. C-101, even though I strongly dislike him, is impressively smart. He gives us decisive orders and strategies and gets us through the missions. I personally believe C-101 thinks that his analytical ability will win Winters's respect. Which will never happen. Recently I would hear them argue incessantly, Winters would degrade him and C-101 would argue his point of view. Winters's coldness would always win.

Eventually I stop looking at myself and I lay down on my bed. Seconds later, I hear a hard knock on my door. Instead of Winters poking his head out, it is a guard. "Get up and put this on." With that he steps into my room and I see a muzzle and leather gloves in his possession. I put them on with no question.

"Winters, she is restrained." The guard shouts out.

I remain silent as Winters enters the room. Then I see a new face. A tall man in his early twenties with curly blonde hair, a handsome face, and green eyes. He is a foot shorter than Winters and looks like him in the face. The man wears a lab coat like Winters as well.

"This is my son, Peter. He will be observing you and the others." Winters explains.

Then he beckons me into the hallway, I see Red and C-101, restrained in the hallway as well.

Red and C-101 grew up as time went on. Red's now my height now, C-101 is taller than the both of us. His hair is raven colored and shaggy, hair is now growing on his arms and legs, and his voice has gotten deeper and sometimes high pitched at times. C-101 towers me and Red as Peter gawk at us. Excitement dances in the young man's eyes, his entire demeanor is lit with energy.

Winters introduces us. He gestures towards me first. "This is Faye. She is Mucker's creation. Faye has a incredible healing factor. She killed her creator a few years back and eventually came to me." I lower my eyes to the floor and stay quiet. Winters then gestures towards Red. "R-100 is my successful experiment. She has retractable fungal claws that can cut through human flesh. She disperse fungus from her body. She is advanced in the physical department of this program. She is the prime example of excellence." Winters explains with a prideful grin smeared on his face. When his eyes meets C-101, his grin instantly turns into a grim frown. "This is C-101. He's my least successful experiment. He was born with a scaly facial feature. He's incompetent and inferior compared to the other subjects."

"Thanks, Winters. You're my favorite person too." C-101 says dryly.

Winters glances at C-101 once and never again. Peter is engrossed by all of this, he makes me jump when he suddenly approach me with a bright smile and a extended hand. "It is an honor to meet someone like you, Faye. I am Peter Winters. Nice to meet you." I don't shake his hand and I simply nod. "Thank you." I breathe.

…

Days passes and I sometimes forget that Peter is watching me. He's quiet when he observes me and the others. When we see him, he gives us a friendly wave. Everyday he would watch us keenly and write in his notebook he carries with him. To be honest, I cared very little for this man. There's a tiny part of me that hates him because Winters is his Father and the rest of me is indifferent. Peter wasn't cruel and ruthless like his Father, which I am thankful for.

It is a normal afternoon in the month of November when I'm training by myself. Peter eyes me, Red, and C-101 in the background. Everything is fairly normal, until Peter breaks the peace.

"C-101, can you please fight with R-100? I have never seen your abilities."

 _Probably because he doesn't have none_. I chuckle in my head.

C-101's back is to me, he's staring straight at Peter. I can imagine his flabbergasted expression.

C-101 never would train, let a alone, fight with Red.

"Please. It will be quick." Peter insist. Then he calls out to Red. "R-100, please go to the mat. You will be fighting with C-101." Red obey and C-101 is rooted where he is standing. He turns his head to the Sensei, hoping he would intervene. He doesn't and C-101 slowly shuffles towards the mat. I feel like laughing, only a small part of me feels pity for him. But I don't let my excitement increase and I continue my training. For a short moment, C-101 furtively protest, but eventually gives up and heads towards the mat. I can't hide my interest anymore and stand idly by my punching bag.

C-101 and R-100 are steps away from each other, Red is in a defensive stance and C-101 is feeble looking, beads of sweats drenches his armpits.

"GO!" Peter booms. I watch in awe as Red balls up her hands into fists. In an instant, clumps of fungus forms on her skin and they mold into long five claws. The claws hardens and become sharp as knives.

C-101 already looks like he wants to give up. Peter is showing his support by being reassuring.

"Good luck."

Then Red attacks. She pivots immediately with her claws ready. When she's close enough, she swings and slash at him, C-101 surprises me, he's quite nimble. He jumps and twists out of Red's way as fast he could. Panic is smeared onto his face. Red launches one swift kick to the side of his head and he tumbles to the floor. Red pounces on top of him and thrust one of her hands to his chest. With a sharp cry, C-101 is able to grab her hand, her claws inches away from his chest. Before R-100 could do anything, C-101 socks her across the face with his free hand. R-100 flinches in pain and C-101 kicks her off of him. He then scrambles to his feet, breathing heavily.

"I quit! I quit!" C-101 shouts at the top of his lungs.

"Come on, C-101. Try." Peter urged in a cheerful voice. He glances at Red. "Red, show him what you're made of. Don't go easy on him!" Then Red lets out an angry cry and leaps onto C-101's back. C-101 screams like a little girl and whirls around and collapse onto his back. Red clings to C-101. Then Red digs her claws into his back repeatedly, her orange hair is flying everywhere. She is screaming and screeching as she stabs him brutally. Blood spews out everywhere, C-101 is convulsing and screaming at the top of his lungs. I almost feel empathy for C-101. But then I think of the Yeagers and I feel emptiness. C-101 puts up a fight, he jams his hand onto Red's face, temporarily blinding her. But Red slaps his hand and continues to stab him viciously. C-101 tries to crawl away, he wiggles and squirms with all of his might. I glance at Peter. He is looking on with amazement. He writes swiftly as he obverse the chaos.

Red continues to stab C-101, until he stops moving. He goes limp, surrounded by his own pool of blood. When he becomes motionless, Red's entire demeanor changes. Her eyes soften and her claws refracts.

She touches his face with her fingers and nudges him gingerly to make him rise.

"R-100, why did you stop?" Peter asks with confusion. Red glances up at him, gets off of C-101, and raises up her hands.

The Sensei speaks first. "I believe the child is forfeiting. She does not wish to fight."

Peter looks like he wants to argue, but he holds his tongue. "Yes, sir."

R-100 makes her way to the Sensei and two guards swarm C-101. Sensei puts a kind arm around R-100. "It is alright, child." I hear him console Red. I take a curious step forward and see Red look content. Her clothes is drenched with blood, her nose is blooming with purple bruises. But her body language is comfortable, but her face is hardened. "Go to your room and rest." Sensei say softly. R-100 nods once, makes her way to the door, then she pauses when she's close to C-101's body. I can't see her expression as she looks down at him. "Go, child. He is healing. Don't worry they will care for him." Sensei assures. Red nods solemnly and walks again, she turns her head towards Peter, and then she exits the room. R-100's behavior baffles me. Why did she stop stabbing him? She didn't stop stabbing me. Maybe I'm different. I personally don't know much about R-100 and C-101. They never seemed to be close to each other. But I never seen them be hostile to each other. Maybe Red stopped because she cares for him? Or maybe she got tired. I'll never know.

….

Red's attack on C-101, left him in a comatose state for a whole week. Once he woke up, he was still healing. I remembered that Winters did tell me his healing ability was slower than mine and Red's.

Days passes and C-101 is finally able to walk. He walks with a limp and is fairly slower than usual. Days before C-101 woke up, I was in the training room when Peter was accompanied by his Father. Peter was energized talking about the ordeal. Winters did not like this at all and he shows it when C-101 first arrives for training. Winters orders all of us to come to him.

"So, you lost, C-101." Winters say coldly. "Not surprising." C-101 refuses to give him direct eye contact. I'm right next to him and I see his face contorted with anger and disappointment.

Winters continues to belittle C-101. He becomes colder and cruel with his words. "You're nothing but a failure. A defected piece of filth. You can't heal properly, you can't fight, you can't do anything. I should have ended you the moment I saw your scaly face. This is the FMG, I only desire perfection, not you." Winters looks at me. "Faye, you are fairly close to perfection. You have done many successful missions with R-100 by your side. But I do wish you would do better. You are far from being flawless."

I simply nod and let his words roll down my back. Then Winters dismisses us and exits the room. Everything turns back to normal. The next day, me and the others do our same routine, Winters has no mission for us, so we simply train until it's bedtime. Peter stands in the background, watching us. I look around to realize the lack of guards in the room. From rumors I heard around the place, there's an outbreak of the flu going around and many of the guards are out sick. There's only two guards in the room with us right now and one of them is hacking out their lungs. I mind my own business and train by myself. Then one of the guards vomits and then the other one follows suit. Sensei goes to his office to make communicate with Winters on his walkie talkie in private. Now we're waiting for new ones to arrive.

C-101 is sitting on the floor, looking deep in thought as me and Red train. Then it happens. I hear a bloodcurdling scream and I whirl around startled. Then I scream myself in horror.

Peter coughs up a mouthful of blood, his back is pressed against the wall with bulging eyes and a quivering lip. C-101 is standing right in front of him, with one fungal claw piercing into Peter's heart.

He twists his hand, making a disgusting sound, Peter jerks and coughs up more blood. C-101 pulls back his hand and Peter falls to the floor, face first.

"WHAT THE HELL?" I shriek, backing away cautiously. I stare in horror at Peter's lifeless body with my legs shaking. Even Red is looking alarmed. When C-101 turns to face us, my heart drops. He appears calm, particles of blood scattered on his face. His eyes are hard and narrow. He makes me feel petrified. The look in his eyes is cold and threatening, completely devoid of any hint of emotions. "Red, Faye." He say hollow. "We're leaving and everyone is going to die."

 _19 will come and it will introduce brand new characters. Please leave reviews and thoughts._


	19. Freedom's Cost

"Why…..why are you doing this?" I gasp. I stare directly at Peter's corpse. I think about Winters and shudder. C-101 killed his son. My mind races with anxiety. I wish something good would happen. I wish that Peter would magically come back to life and everything will go back to normal.

But then things get worst. As if the world loved my misery, Winters walks into the room, oblivious to his son's tragic death. Then he turns his head and freezes inches away from the door. He looked at his son with great anguish and misery.

"Oh…..god…" He breathed. We all stand there stiff and still, we are so silent we can all hear our rapid heartbeats. I feel powerful chills run down my spine when Winters' eyes makes its way to me. All I see is unbridled rage.

Swiftly, he shouts out. "Guards! Guards! Kill them! Kill the experiments! NOW!" In an instant, I hear heavy footsteps emerging down the hallway. It sounds like a dozen.

Winters hurries away and disappears into the hallway. He's still shouting at the top of his lungs. "KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALL! NOW! NOW!" Winters sounds like a madman. He is brimful of fury and grief.

We immediately spring into action. Immediately C-101 barks out orders. "Red, ready your claws. Faye, bite as many as you can!" The authority in his voice is the tone he uses on missions. "Get ready! Don't attack until I say so." Then the guards arrive, there's at least seven of them and they are ready to kill. They surround us with their guns drawn. Every second feels like an agonizing hour. The tension in the air is tightening.

"NOW!" C-101 booms. Then the guards fire, I listen to my instincts. I duck and curl myself in a protective ball as the bullets fly. Red lets out an angry scream, I peek out to see Red in her prime. I watch her get shot in the upper part of her body, but she is not going down. She ducks her head to avoid a fatal headshot and fatally pierces her claws into one of the guards' abdomen.

"OH MY GOD! KILL THIS BITCH NOW!" A guard gasps. With that, remaining guards shoots relentlessly. Red is quick, she leaps into the air, claws sleek and sharp, she pounces on one of the guards, burying her claws into his back and chest. The guard spins around wildly trying to shake her off, with one good spin, he does and then he dies. Red is flung into the air like a rocket and pounces on the nearest guard, doing the same attack. I scramble to my feet as bullets begins to cease. Then I feel a rough hand grab my hair from behind. "YOU STUPID BITCH!" I tug and squirm as adrenaline rushes through my veins. I think of what C-101 told me to do. With an angry cry, I yank away as hard as I could and pounce on the guard before he could fire his gun. I sink my teeth into his exposed neck, ripping out a bloody jugular vein. The guard dies instantly. I scan the area, breathing heavily. Three are dead, one is still alive, but is slowly dying on the floor. Red is taking care of the last two. I wipe off the slick blood on my lips with my arm. I don't see C-101 anywhere, he has disappeared into thin air. I watch Red kill a guard and now there's one.

Red screams as one guard gets the upper hand and is able to throw her off of him. Red goes down hard, red faced and gasping for air. The guard swings his gun like a bat and hits Red in the head with the butt. Red cries out in pain, then that cry turns into an aggressive growl. The guard frantically begins to reload his gun as he keeps Red at gunpoint.

My heart jolts. "RED!" I shriek. Without thinking, I charges towards the guard at full speed. He has no time to react as I pounce on him.

Then BOOM! My ear drums begins to loudly ring. I am now on the floor, even though I don't remember falling. I sit up and see the guard laying right next to me. I gasp when I see his entire body. His brain particles were pink and scattered, a red hole centered itself in his head. A pool of blood surrounds his head. I hear the sound of a gun click and when I look in the direction of the sound, I see C-101. He stands in the doorway, armed with a gun. I get up, my ears still ringing from the shot.

"Come on! Let's go." C-101 say, with that we all flee the room without hesitation. We are zooming through the hallway like our hairs were on fire. I look around as we run, I expect more guards, but then I remember the flu outbreak.

"Hurry we're almost out of this place! If any of you see Winters, kill him!" C-101 shouts. We scurry towards the elevator and we all dive into it. Once we're whisked up to the first floor. We run through a room with no one in it.

"The doors! Come on!" With that, C-101 slams himself onto the front doors, he opens it with ease and he grins. We don't stop for anything, we keep running. When we make it up to the fence, we just jump over it as best as we could. With many of the guards sick and the remaining ones dead, this is an easy escape. Next thing I know, we are darting through the forest, I only look back once with my heart pounding in my chest.

Suddenly I start crying without knowing why. I'm not sure if these are tears of joy, sorrow, or fear. I feel so numb. But we keep running and running, until we are far away from the Firefly base.

….

We find ourselves wandering aimlessly through the forest. We know that there will be people after us very soon. So for at least six days, we didn't stop walking. We are exhausted, hungry, and dehydrated. Technically speaking, we should be dead. But thanks to our healing abilities, we can live without water, food, and sleep longer than a human can. It doesn't heal my dry throat, but it keeps me alive and functioning. I am starving, my stomach grumbles and growls every single day.

When we escaped the Firefly, we didn't steal anything that would be of value. (Minus the gun with three remaining bullets in it.) For food, well more little snacks, we scavenges berries we find. Many of them are poisonous, but our healing abilities protects us from the toxins. Unfortunately we still end up getting sick severely. The only bright side is that we don't die. The berries don't fill us for long and we are all ravenous on the sixth day.

C-101 and R-100 are out of their element here along with me. We have no idea how to survive in the wilderness. We're all so used to having roofs over our heads.

It's on the sixth day when C-101 orders me to collect more berries for us to eat. Red and C-101 stay behind and try to make a fire with sticks and rocks.

I'm wandering the forest all by myself, everything is peaceful and tranquil. The birds whistle in the distance, I see small animals scurrying, the sky is a beautiful blue.

Then a Runner charges at me. I shriek and dart away as the Runner chases me. As I run away, I hear more. I hear at least five runners lurking in the area. Runners are the first stage of the Infection, they're fast and will chase anything they see for miles. "RED! XANDER! HELP!" I scream. Then my foot gets caught in something I can't see and I stumble to the ground. I have no time to react when a runner throws himself onto me. I push his chest as hard as I can, kicking my legs wildly. My eyes dart back and forth, hungry for a weapon. Then I see a nearby rock, I hold the runner back with one hand and gropes for the rock with the other. I grab it and I bash the runner in the side of the head as hard I could. The runner lets out a pained cry and I bash it across the face again. Again and again. Ten times approximately, eventually I smash it's skull and all the brain particles are everywhere. I keep the bloody rock as a weapon as I run away from the scene. I'm still lost in the forest, I run aimlessly.

Then I hear a shrill scream. A child's scream. It's far in the distance and it is short lived. Then I hear another scream, this time it is long winded and pitiful. I have no idea where it's coming. I hear the groans and cries of the Infecteds.

"FRANKIE! CLIMB!" I hear someone shriek. I continue to run and I take a sharp turn. Then I accidentally find the source of the screaming. I see two little girls, one with sandy brown hair is clinging in a tall tree, and the other one with brown hair is vainly trying to climb the tree.

The girls do not notice me.

"HURRY UP! BEFORE THEY GET HERE!" The sandy haired one screamed.

The brown haired one begin to cry out of frustration. "I'm trying! I'm trying!" With that she digs her nails into the tree bark, but can't find the strength to pull her up.

I'm not sure what to think of this scene. I hear the infecteds coming closer, but I feel pity for the one that's struggling to come the tree. Then the runners come, the brown haired one shrieks and frantically tries to climb up the tree for safety.

The sandy haired girl screams out at the other one to climb better. I can't take this scene any longer and I scurry towards them. I grab the brown haired girl from behind, she lets out a bloodcurdling scream, thinking she just got snatched by an Infected. I slam my hand over her mouth.

"Stop, I'm trying to help!" I say. Then a piece of tree bark is hurled at my head. It's the top of my head and it did little to hurt me. I look up to see the sandy haired girl, red faced and angry. "LEAVE HER ALONE!" She shrieks. Then she gasps. "OH GOD! FRANKIE!" Then I catch a glance of runners charges for us. I lift Frankie up with all my strength. I can take on these Infecteds, I'm immune. I feel like I have to help, I'm the only who can. "CLIMB!" I command. Frankie digs her nails into the tree's skin and does her best to pull herself up. The sandy haired girl begins to throw sticks and barks at the Infecteds, trying to slow them down. The runners were coming fast and they were feet away. I let go of Frankie and prepare my rock. Frankie clings to the tree, fear brimful in her dark eyes.

The sandy haired girl screams at her to hurry up. My heart thunders in my chest as a runner attempts to tackle me. I swing my arm and smack it with my rock, the runner is pushed back and I dart away, hoping I would lure all the runners away.

Then BOOM! Then I hear a soft thud.

I whirl around to see a dead runner. The other runners are still coming at me, then I hear more gunfire. I watch in shock as all the remaining runners fall to the ground after suffering a fatal bullet to the left side of their heads. The forest is silent afterwards and a tall young girl appears. She is armed and looks to be fifteen years old. She has a dark brown hair that is cut short, big brown eyes, and pale skin.

Frankie gasps. "ENID! YOU'RE OKAY!" She exclaims. Enid gives the girl a warm smile, but that smile turns into a disapproving frown when she looks up at the other girl. "Penelope, get down here right now!" She sounds strict and firm. Penelope turns her head away defiantly and stays in the tree. Frankie, however doesn't hesitate to come down. She run to Enid and embraces her immediately.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She says pitifully. Enid embraces her back with a smile printed on her face. Then she looks up at Penelope again. "Where's Daphne?" Enid demands.

Penelope shrugs lazily. "I don't know."

Enid put an emotional hand over her mouth. She glances at me. "Have you seen a girl with blonde hair and blue eyes? She has a bright purple hair bow in her hair." She points towards Frankie. "She's the size and height of her. Have you seen her?"

I shake my head. "No." I say truthfully. Indecisiveness flashes into her eyes. "Well I am sorry for bothering you. We should all go before more runners come." Enid say politely. Then she raised her voice. "Penelope, get down here so we can look for Daphne." Penelope looks down at Enid with a scowl.

"Fine." She pouts. Penelope takes her time to get out of the tree. When Penelope gets down, she trots towards Enid.

Enid grabs Frankie's hand like a mother to a child. Frankie doesn't even hesitates to hold her hand. Then Enid extends a hand to Penelope, but Penelope walks ahead, defiant. Enid lets out a frustrated groan, before collecting herself. Then they all leave.

I wonder if they're going to survive out here. But eventually I remind myself to not care. These girls reminds me of Harlow. That was probably why I felt so protective towards them. It pains me to think about her. But then I have long resolved to care for myself and the people I'm with. I hate to say it, but I think of Red and C-101 like family. It's odd. I have nothing in common with any of them. I still have hate and scorn for C-101 and I still have fear and resentment towards Red. But I can't imagine myself alone.

My stomach roars and I remember what I was supposed to do in the first place. I'm walking and searching for berries. Awhile I do, I gaze at my surroundings. I'm still in disbelief that I'm not with the Fireflies anymore. I still have lingering paranoia of Winters just strolling around the corner, waiting for me. I imagine the tortures he will give me if his men got us. Will he kill us or will he torture us and then kill us?

I ponder on that question for a long time as I want. I feel my shoe step on something and I look down to see bright purple hair bow. Then I hear a little girl's scream. "HELP! HELP!"

It's ahead in the direction I'm going in. Then I hear the groans and cries of Stalkers.

 _I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave reviews, analysis, and thoughts. Next chapter will be up soon._


	20. Teddy and Daphne

20.

I run as fast as I can with the roaring of the Stalkers behind me. I hear their charging feet as they chase me. I turn a swift left turn, trying to break them off with no avail. My heart thunders in my chest. My palms are sweaty.

I continue running. Then I see it. A house and a tall wooden fence. I immediately make a beeline for it. The Stalkers are near, I make it to the fence, breathless. With enough energy, I jump, my hands clung to the top.

I swing my leg high enough to make it up the top. With one leg on top, I climb over the fence and into a wide backyard. I take one glimpse of the sky to discover gloomy sky foreshadowing rain.

I'm lucky to make it in time, in an instant, I hear the Stalkers pushing and slamming the fence. But I'm not afraid, the fence is quite sturdy. I scan my surroundings. I see a large tree with a medium sized house built into it. The yard is unkempt and green. I examine the house. It's a big house with two stories and a wooden back pouch. From where I'm standing, I can see that there is no fences to protect the front. "Who are you?"

I jump out of surprised and look up to see two little girls peeking down at me from the tree house. The little girl is small and cute with golden blonde hair that was long and straight, her eyes were ocean blue, she has freckles on her cheeks, and a oval shaped face. The other one is small and cute as well with jet black hair that was long and straight. She has bright green eyes and fair skin. In her hair was a white hair bow. Immediately I think of Harlow. They look like her. But shorter. I assume the blonde one is Daphne.

"Are you Daphne?"

"Yes." The blonde girl answers, confusion deep in her voice.

The black haired girl asks me. "Who are you?"

"Faye. Daphne, Enid is looking for you," I look up at the other girl. "What's your name?"

"Teddy." The black haired girl says.

Daphne's face lights up with hope. She begins to smile excitedly. "Really? Where is she?"

Then it begins to rain. First, it's light rain that comes out of nowhere. Then it quickly becomes hard and heavy.

Then Daphne screams. "Behind you!" I whirl around to see a runner charging for me. I dart out the way and the runner is on my heels. The girls are screaming, telling me to run faster. I make a complete circle and I end up back at the tree house.

"HERE!" I glance up and see Teddy drop down a hammer. The hammer falls to my feet and I immediately snatch it from the ground. The runner releases an inhuman roar as it charges straight for me. I ready my hammer like I did with my previous rock. When it's close enough, I swing as hard as I can, the hammer socks the blistery runner across the face. It falls to the ground in a heap and I don't stop.

I beat it's head into the ground, it wails and whimpers like a dying animal. Once I'm done, the deceased runner's head looks like a cracked open egg, it's brain is mushy and infested with fungus.

I look up to the children, they are trembling, wide eyed at the gruesome of violence I just displayed in front of them. Teddy is the first to stop trembling and she pulls down a ladder.

"Come up. Quick." She says.

I don't wait. In an instant, I climb up the ladder and I'm inside the treehouse with the small girls behind me. It's a sturdy treehouse with dark wooden. It's wide and spacious enough to fit at least a few people to stay in. There's resources in the place. There's approximately three bottles of water piled up in the left corner and there are four canned foods and trail mix piled in another corner. In the center are two sleeping bags, one child sized and the other one was adult sized, kitchen knife, two purple backpacks, and a can opener on the floor. And lastly there is a tiny potty in the back of the room.

I am ravenous when I look at the food.

"Are you okay?" I whirl around to see Teddy standing behind me. Despite her witnessing my violence, she didn't appear uncomfortable.

I nod my head. "I'm fine. Are you alright?"

Teddy nods. "I'm okay. I'm happy that monster is gone." Her voice is innocent and sweet.

I find myself grinning. "Thanks for throwing down that hammer. That was very helpful."

Teddy gives me a sweet smile. "No problem."

"So you saw Enid?" Daphne seizes my attention immediately. Her eyes full of hope and eagerness.

"Did you see Frankie and Penelope?" She asks me.

I nod my head. "Yes, they're looking for you right now."

I soon discover my bladder is full, despite me not drinking any fluids. I tell the girls I need to pee and they promise me they won't look. I pee in the potty. My heart jolts with fright when I see my brown urine.

I'm not sure what brown urine means exactly, but I can tell it's bad. I examine the supplies the children have.

"How long have you two been in here?" I inquire without looking at them. Teddy answers briskly. "One week."

Daphne answers next. "Two days."

I pull up my pants. Teddy's answer alarms me the most. "A week? Why?" I ask.

"My Daddy told me to. I'm waiting for him and Mommy."

I raise an eyebrow. "Where did they go?"

Teddy appears confused. "I don't know." She answers after a long silence. "My Daddy told me to get in my treehouse. He put a lot of cans, water, and other stuff in here with me. Then he told me to wait for him to come back."

I'm not sure what to think about that. Then I decide to focus on Daphne. "How did you get here?" I ask.

Daphne's face flushed with embarrassment. "I did a bet. Penelope and Frankie dared me to go into the forest. Enid was with us, but Penelope got me and Frankie to go further into the woods when Enid was out hunting. Then we got attacked by runners and got separated. But Teddy helped me. She let me into her treehouse."

"How did you get away from the runners?"

"I climbed up a tree. The Infecteds can't climb, they can only run." Daphne explains softly.

I find myself impressed.

Teddy walks past me and to the canned food. She grabs the can opener and proceeds to open the can of beans. Then we have dinner out of that one can with our own spoons.

When it's nighttime, the raining ceases. The girls snuggle up in their sleeping bags and I lay on the floor. It's nearing nighttime and we are already exhausted. I lay on the hard, wooden floor. I'm unable to sleep, so for a while, I think about my group. I wonder where Red and C-101 are? Do they think I'm dead? Have they left already? I have no idea. The canned food barely fills me and I'm ravenous again. I look out the small window of the treehouse and examine the house.

I decide to go into the house for resources. I make sure I'm quiet as I tiptoe around the slumbering girls. There are no Infecteds roaming the area, everything is silent. I'm able to walk up the back pouch and I open the slide door and I slip in.

The house is lighten up dimly by the afternoon light. I'm in a well designed living room when I enter. As I walk around, I discover a wide kitchen and a small dining room. Then I see blood.

Blood is everywhere in the kitchen. From the walls, to the counters, and to the floor. It's old blood, I can tell from how dry it looks. I search for supplies as I head to the kitchen. I open cabinets one by one and find nothing. I try to use the sink and but there's no water. I see no bottled water anywhere. I decide to explore the rest of the house out of curiosity. I head upstairs with a thundering heart. I think about the blood in the kitchen and Teddy floods my thoughts.

 _Where is her parents?_

I make it upstairs and I open a door to a room I assume is Teddy's room. It's a fair sized room with yellow painted walls. There's a small green bed, a few dressers, and a little bright red toddler table. I discover a childish drawing on a piece of paper on the table.

It's messy with three stick figures. There's a woman with black strings for hair and green dots for eyes. Then there's a man with yellow hair and brown dots for eyes. Then there's a small girl in the middle of them. The girl is Teddy.

I find it cute. I never drew before. Small things like this makes me feel awe. Everything about this room is alien to me. Innocence is something I will never have.

I exit the room and I go into the room I see. It is the parents' master bedroom. I gasp in horror at the sight of a man hanging over a fallen chair. I examine the hanged man's appearance and I can conclude it's Teddy's Father. A noose is wrapped around his neck, the other piece of the rope was tied to the motionless ceiling fan. His eyes are shut, it looks like he's sleeping.

I feel my stomach heave with nausea. I think of Teddy and feel a pang of sympathy.

I slip out the room with a bitter stomach. The house's atmosphere instantly becomes eerie.

I scurry down the hallway, then I catch a glimpse of a half opened bathroom door to my left. With sudden curiosity, I find myself heading towards the door. Then I find Teddy's Mother. She lays on the bathroom floor, motionless and lifeless, I see a half empty bottle of pills next to her and I put two and two together.

Again I feel sick to my stomach. Everything feels so surreal. Almost like I'm dreaming. But I know I'm not. I find a letter next the woman's feet.

I pick it up and decide to read it in Teddy's room. Teddy's room is the only room that is peaceful and nice. I don't want to go back to the treehouse with all the horrors I just seen. But most importantly I don't want to face Teddy right now.

The letter is well handwritten with an ink pen.

 **Teddy, if you're reading this, I'm sorry. I love you very much. Daddy and I both love you very much. But I am not okay. I hope you understand, Daddy will take care of you. I promise. You are a strong girl, I can see you doing so much in this world. Please forgive me, your Daddy will be with you, but I will not. I am so sorry. I love you.**

 **Mommy.**

I feel lightheaded and dizzy. Conflicted, I read the letter over and over again. I feel both anger and sorrow. None of the sorrow was linked to the parents, but for Teddy. Honestly I want to kick these parents' bodies out of disdain. I am disgusted by the both of them.

"How will Teddy react to this?" I ask myself aloud.

I don't want to think about that. Numbness hits me like a wave.

I spot a nearby teddy bear and pick it up. It's a cute teddy bear, I take it with me.

"We need to go now." I say to myself. "Teddy will starve up there, waiting for her parents and Daphne should be looking for her group. I should be looking for mine."

I walk downstairs and hurry out the house. My legs feels heavy as I hobble towards the treehouse. What am I going to do? What am I going to do? I think. I climb up the ladder and I enter the treehouse. Daphne is fast asleep, but I see that Teddy's sleeping bag is vacant.

"Faye? Why were you in the house?" Teddy's voice makes my heart jolt. I turn to her and bite my lower lip. I feel dirty from the things I seen.

"I was looking for supplies." I say honestly.

Teddy examines me. "But you didn't find anything?"

I shake my head. "No."

Teddy gives me a smile and gestures towards the food and water. "We still have food and water. But we can't eat it all, so we just eat one can and drink only a little water. When Daddy and Mommy come back, we'll have more."

I like Teddy's cheerfulness. "Teddy, you never went back into the house, right? What happened exactly?" I inquire.

"No, I wanted to. But there were a lot of infecteds coming in and out of the place and I was too scared to go down there."

"You're not scared, you're smart." I compliment.

Teddy soaks up my compliment like a sponge and smiles brightly. "Thank you."

I ask again. "What happened?"

Teddy's smile forms a thin line. "I don't know. My Daddy told me that me and him were going to play in the treehouse and camp out. He gave me a lot of canned foods and water and told me to wait for him. I did, but he's not back yet," Unsureness flashes in her green eyes. "Faye, do you think he left?"

I lie, not daring to say the truth. "Both of your parents left. And they may be gone for a…..time."

Teddy looks at the floor with a unreadable emotion.

I change the subject and I force out a smile. "Here," I say. I show Teddy the teddy bear.

"I thought you'd like it."

In an instant, Teddy's eyes lights up with enthusiasm. "Mr. Paws!" She exclaims. She's loud and makes Daphne stir out of her slumber. Teddy grabs it from me and hugs it tightly.

I find myself chuckling at the moment of cuteness. "You really like that toy."

"I wanted Daddy to bring Mr. Paws to me when he told me to come up here. I think he forgot." Teddy says.

I push back all the horrors I seen before into the back of my mind.

"How old are you?" I ask.

"Nine."

My heart sinks. I feel hatred for the parents. I turn my head to Daphne.

"How old are you?" I ask her.

"Nine." Daphne answers.

Harlow fills my mind. They remind me of her so hauntingly. I feel so much compassion at the point. In my short time of knowing the two girls, I have grew to care for them. I feel like I must help them. Teddy needs help the most.

I make up my mind. "Teddy, Daphne," I make sure I have authority in my voice. "I think we should leave. Your resources are running low and it's not safe here."

Teddy shakes her head stubbornly. "No. What about my parents?" She protest.

Daphne, on the other hand is on board with me. She stays quiet and watches me and Teddy talk.

Teddy shows me her stubbornness. "My treehouse is fine. Like I said before, Infecteds can't climb, it's safe. My parents could come back at any moment!"

"Teddy, your parents are not in the house. One day, your home will be full of Infecteds and your stuff will run out. Your parents are gone, it will be a long time until they come back." I reason.

Teddy lowers her eyes to the floor, she shakes her head in denial. "No. I'm not leaving!" Teddy takes a step away from me.

I take a gentle approach and take a step closer to her. "Teddy, please, we have to go." I say. "Think about it, why if your food runs out?"

"Then Daddy and Mommy will bring me more." Teddy insist.

I take a deep breath. "And if they don't?"

Teddy bites her lower lip. "I don't know."

Daphne chimes in. "Please, Teddy. Faye's right. It's not safe." She says.

Teddy is quiet, she appears deep in thought. Indecisiveness flashes in her eyes, she looks like she's on the verge of tears.

I think she's going to cry at any moment. But she doesn't, instead, Teddy takes a deep breath and exhales, collecting herself.

Her voice is shaky and halting. "O…..okay….I….guess..you're right."

I nod. "Good," I turn to Daphne. "We're going to find Enid. I promise. But first we must get to my group. We can look after you until we find everyone."

Daphne smiles gratefully. "Thank you!" She exclaims.

Before we go, I prepare the girls' backpacks, putting the remaining water and food we have left in them. I take the hammer and the kitchen knife as weapons and put them in Daphne's backpack.

"I'm going to wear your backpack for now." I tell Daphne. Daphne doesn't seem to care, she is eager to leave.

"Can we go now?" She urges.

I nod my head. "Yes, come on, Teddy." I say, making my way to the ladder. Daphne is the first one out.

I urge a stubborn Teddy to come with me. "Come on." I say.

"Do you think something bad happened to my parents?" Teddy suddenly asks.

My mind knows the truth, but again, I lie. "No. They're fine. But they are gone, far away from here. Your parents would want you to be safe, Teddy."

Teddy looks me in the eyes and nods solemnly. "Okay." She says meekly. Then we go. I hear no Infecteds in the area, I extend out my hand to the girls. Their hands clasps to mine. I feel Teddy's grip get tighter as we get further away from her house. "Teddy, don't worry. I will look after you." I promise. Teddy looks at me, hope flickers in her eyes. Then we go.

 _21 will be come eventually. Please leave reviews and thoughts._


	21. The Reunion

21.

* * *

Our walk back into the forest is long, exhausting, and nerve wrecking. Even though I don't hear any Infecteds, I am paranoid. The sky begins to darken and I begin to regret my choice of leaving so late.

But there's nothing I can do about it now. I glance down at Teddy, her hand clings to mine as she wearily hobbles on. Then I look at Daphne, she has energy compared to Teddy. I think her hope in finding Enid and her friends is keeping her active.

I think of Red and C-101. I hope they're still around. I wouldn't be surprised if they left me already.

I scan my surroundings to make sure I'm going down the right path back to where me and my group was located.

We continue to walk and walk until it's completely dark. Then I regret everything.

"What are we going to do?" Daphne asks me.

I say nothing, because I didn't know what to do. Then Teddy releases my hand. "Maybe we should make a fire? I know how to." Teddy says.

"Okay, what do we need?" I inquire.

Teddy presses her lips, thinking to herself. "Oh, yeah! Rocks and sticks!" She makes gestures with her hands. "If you get two rocks and smash them into each other, they'll make a big spark! Then we get the sticks, pile them up and make a fire." Teddy's weariness seem to have disappeared into thin air. It's almost like there was switch inside of Teddy. First she was somber, now she's lively.

"Smart." I comment. Teddy beams.

I nod and search for rocks and sticks. It's hard to see, so I kneel down and feel the Earth with my hands.

"I found some!" Daphne shouts out. She makes her way to us with two jagged rocks and a few sticks.

I decide where we will set up camp and I pick an area close to a river and surrounded by rustling bushes.

"Put them here." Teddy orders Daphne. She points to the center of our camp site.

Submissively, Daphne does.

I take watch for any Infecteds roaming the area. I hear nor see anything, but my guard is still up.

I glance at Teddy, she is smashing the two rocks together as hard as she can. But I see no spark of any kind. Teddy groans in frustration, but keeps smashing the rocks.

I exhale and go back to my watch. It's becoming darker and darker now. If anything or anyone wanted to lash out at us, it could easy do so.

Then I hear Teddy gasps. I whirl around to see Teddy gawking at the two rocks. A wide grin forms on her face and she smashes the rocks again, this time there is a spark. It is orange and vibrant and short lived.

"WOW! That was so cool!" Daphne exclaims astonished. Teddy continues to beam.

Teddy does it again, this time closer to the pile of sticks, the spark comes and in an instant, the sticks are ablaze.

Teddy looks like she's going to burst with happiness. "I did it!" She cheers.

"Good job, Teddy." I praise.

Daphne looks thoughtful. "What else did your Daddy teach you?" Daphne asks.

"A lot of stuff. My Daddy would take me out in the woods to hunt and camp out all the time." Teddy says with a smile.

I feel numb.

Daphne raises up an eyebrow. "What about your Mom?"

Teddy makes a silly face. "Mommy hated camping. She would yell at Daddy a lot for taking me camping."

I see Daphne opening her mouth to ask a question and I interrupt her.

"Guys, I think it's time for bed. I'll take watch. It's very late." I say.

Teddy nods. "Okay." With that Teddy takes out her sleeping bag and crawls into it. Daphne suddenly becomes pale.

"Wait….wait….are we really sleeping out here?" Daphne croaks. "What if a Infected gets us?"

"They won't. I promise." I reassure.

Daphne isn't convinced. Then Teddy sits up and chimes in.

"Don't worry, Daph. Faye will be the lookout. Plus we're around a lot of bushes, so no monster can sneak up on us."

I nod. "That's right. So go to sleep." Teddy goes to sleep and Daphne gets out her sleeping bag with quivering lips. Her eyes dart back and forth. Daphne slips into her sleeping bag and takes a while to close her eyes.

I struggle to keep my eyes open as exhaustion hits me hard. I'm low on energy and yawning almost every minute.

I do not fall asleep and I watch weary as the sun lightens the Earth.

…

We walk the second we get up, hungry and thirsty. The blazing sun basks the Earth. We take a few breaks for the girls to go relief themselves, then we are back to trotting through the forest.

Teddy holds my hand the whole time we are walking. I'm positive at this point I have Teddy's wholehearted trust. It feels good to have someone different around. Teddy has my wholehearted affection and protection.

I feel so much sympathy for her. I have no plans to tell her about her parents' deaths. I fear that will break her spirit.

I feel different about Daphne. I care for her similar to the way I care for Teddy. But unlike Teddy, she has family to go to. A family that is searching for her. Teddy's parents' love is questionable at best.

"Are we almost there?" Daphne whines.

I shrug my shoulders. "I have no idea."

We keep shuffling through the forest for hours, my feet begin to ache and my legs begins to cramp. The girls shows discomfort as well.

It's when I'm ready to pass out, when I hear C-101's voice cry out. "FAYE!"

I look up ahead to C-101 and Red heading in our direction.

"Xander! Red!" I cry out surprised. We make it up to them and C-101 eyes Teddy and Daphne closely. He takes his eyes off of them and glares at me. "Why the hell do you have two kids with you?" C-101 demands.

I'm not in the mood. "Xander, I found these two kids in the forest alone." I say.

C-101 rolls his eyes. "What's your point? They're not your problem. They're not our problem! Send them out, Faye!" C-101 balls up his fists. "You go missing for days and when we find you, you have extra mouths to find, you dumb bitch!"

Teddy comes to my defense. "That's a mean word!" She crosses her arms, upset. "Faye is helping me look for my parents!" Teddy raises her voice. "So leave Faye alone! She's helping me and Daphne!" Teddy nudges Daphne with her elbow. "Right, Daphne?"

Daphne is staring directly at C-101's scaly side face with horror and shock. Teddy doesn't seem to mind C-101's face, or at the very least doesn't show it.

Teddy nudges Daphne again. "Right, Daphne?" She urges. Daphne simply nods.

C-101 rolls his eyes again. "Faye, you need to ditch them now! We do not need more mouth to feed! These two are none of our concerns. We must focus on ourselves!" C-101 gestures towards himself, Red, and me.

Teddy pushes a dark bang out of her eyes. She presses her lips, I glance at her. Immediately I feel defensive. I raise my voice and take a step closer to C-101.

"NO! They are coming with us! I'm not going to leave them to die!" I declare.

Then C-101 scowls. "Faye, you leave them or we leave you!"

I become silent, unsure of what to say. I glare back at C-101 with a stiff expression. C-101 stares at me, waiting for my answer.

Teddy breaks the tensed silence. "I can be helpful! I know how to pick berries and fish! My Daddy taught me!"

C-101's eyes lights up for a moment. "Really?" He say, slightly intrigued.

C-101 looks at Daphne. "What can you do?" He inquires.

Daphne appears uneasy. She is quiet. Finally her lips quivers. "Nothing." She mutters. Daphne lowers her eyes to the ground.

I feel bad for her. Then I clear my throat and put authority in my tone of voice.

"I will take care of them! They are both of my responsibilities," I gesture towards Daphne. "I'm helping her find her family. One of them saved me in the forest," Then I gesture towards Teddy. "She helped me when I was in danger. She made a fire for us! She knows how to survive out here better than us! Please, Xander. We can work this out, I will feed them on my own terms. You don't have to worry about them. I will."

C-101's glare softens in a cold look. C-101 is quiet as he thinks to himself. A minute passes and C-101 takes a deep breath. "Fine." He grumbles. Then C-101 turns around and walks. "Come on, don't slow us down, Faye."

I can't help but smile. Teddy's hand swiftly clings to mine. I grab Daphne's hand and we all walk.

…..

It feels surreal to be back with my group. I stay close to Red. This may sound weird, but I feel safer with her around. If an Infected appears, she'll just kill it, so me and the girls are protected. I feel uncomfortable around C-101, even though I missed him. I think I have an odd relationship with the both of them. I prefer Red over C-101 any day, but somehow I tolerate C-101. Both of them has hurt me, Red stabbed me before and C-101 made me kill Nick. And for that, I have deep seated grudges against them. But I have known them for so long, I'm attached to them. It's funny, Winters spent years, breaking my bonds and attachments, but yet indirectly caused me to be attached to Red and C-101.

I do wonder how they feel about me. I will probably never admit it, but the day C-101 killed Winters' son was the best day of my life. I cared very little for Peter, but I'm free. I can start anew. I look at Daphne and Teddy.

 _I will get Daphne to her family._ I promise silently.

Then I glance at Teddy, my mind goes blank. My affection and compassion for Teddy is genuine, I like her personality and spirit. I almost envy her. She has innocence. I'm willing to care for her like a parental figure.

I glance back at Daphne to see her sullen expression.

"You okay?" I ask.

Daphne say nothing. I assume C-101 is the problem.

"Don't worry about Xander." I reassure.

"No...it's not that...it's my fault." Daphne falters.

I raise an eyebrow. Teddy is eavesdropping on the conversation.

"No, it's not. That guy is just a meanie." Teddy exclaims.

Daphne isn't comforted at all. "It is. I ran away! I dared Frankie and Penelope to go out into the woods. Now we're lost and I don't know where my sisters are!" Daphne looks like she is on the verge of tears.

I make my voice gentle. "Calm down, Daphne."

Daphne shakes a little and sniffles. "I just want to be with them." She laments.

I give her a smile. "You will. I promise."

Teddy flashes a cheerful grin to Daphne. "Hey, maybe when you find your family, you can camp out with me and my Daddy! My Mommy can make you a really good meal. It'll be fun." The utter sound of hope and obliviousness in her lively voice pains me. I say nothing.

After an hour of walking, we all make it to C-101 and Red's new camp site. There's no fire or anything special, but there is a pile of blueberries.

Teddy shows off her usefulness and creates a fire from scratch. C-101 is very impressed, but is still not happy about having two extra mouths.

"Great job, Ted." I praise.

With that, we dine on blueberries as we warm ourselves. The day seems to be faster as it eventually comes dark. Teddy gets into her sleeping bag along with Daphne. I have nothing, so I sleep on the ground along with C-101. Red takes watch on C-101's order. In an hour, she'll wake me up and after my shift is done, I wake him up.

I sleep for a period. My slumber is dreamless and blank. Then suddenly I hear jarring screaming. It's high pitch and long winded.

I jolt out of my slumber to continue hearing the screaming. I scramble to my feet to see a hysterical Teddy swimming in her sleeping bag. Everyone is awaken by Teddy's screaming, Daphne is trembling, Red is wide eyed, and C-101 is pissed. Teddy wakes up from her slumber and quivers in her sleeping bag.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" C-101 cry. "You're going to attract Infecteds!" With that, C-101 scrambles to his feet and dart his head left and right.

I scurry towards Teddy hastily. "Are you okay?"

Without a word, Teddy throws her arms around me. She presses her face into my shirt. She is hysterical, a vast contrast to her usual lively, cheery self.

She sobs heavily. "I had a nightmare! I saw Daddy and Mommy get eaten by Clickers!"

C-101 chimes in bitterly. "Well, good job, you probably attracted some with your screaming."

"Shut up!" I say harshly. C-101 simply rolls his eyes.

I comfort the child the best I could. I think of Nora and Nina. "It's okay, it was just a dream." I whisper.

Suddenly Teddy yanks away, her face flushes. She briefly glances at everyone, biting her lower lip.

She becomes rigid with apprehension. "Did I attract some Infecteds?"

I shake my head without thought. "No." I hope I'm right.

Teddy becomes slightly relaxed after I say that.

"Are you okay, Teddy?" Daphne asks softly. She scoots over to her and puts a kind hand on her shoulder. "I had a nightmare too."

Unemphatic, C-101 whispers out. "Go back to sleep now!"

I roll my eyes, but I don't protest. Instead I make sure I'm close to Teddy and Daphne.

Teddy is still shaking.

"Your dream was not real." I tell her.

Teddy sniffles. "I know, but it was so real looking. It was really scary."

I lay down.

"I want to go home. I really want my Mom and Dad." Teddy laments.

"I know." I mutter.

Teddy's green eyes burn into mine. "Why did they leave? Why did Daddy leave me alone in the treehouse?" Her voice is confused and desperate. "Where did they go?"

"I don't know. But I promise, we will find them." I lie through my teeth.

 _22 will come eventually. Reviews and thoughts. Please tell me how you feel about Teddy or Daphne. I hope you enjoyed this chapter._


	22. Rainy Days

For three straight days, we travel and camp out in the forest. I'm getting sick of blueberries and I'm positive everyone else is. Everyone is exhausted and drained from our travel. Teddy is the only one with high spirits. She's physically weakened like everyone else, but she's only one smiling and talking. As we walk, Teddy chatters Daphne's ears off. She's talking loud enough for everyone to hear. She makes gestures as she talks.

"So, Daddy told me to shoot the shotgun at that buck." Teddy says. Daphne is quiet, but attentive. Teddy doesn't even need Daphne to talk, she's all mouth.

"When I shot it, it was so loud. My ears were ringing and everything. I fell on my butt and everything." Teddy went on.

I chime in. "What happened after that?"

"I missed the buck. But I hit a tree. It ran the moment I made the shot. Daddy said that I took too long." Teddy admits. Teddy looks me in the eyes with curiosity. "What about your family, Faye?" She asks.

I'm taken aback abit. I think of Mucker and feel a pang of longing. I decide to be vaguely honest. "They're dead." I say. Daphne's eyes widen.

Teddy's expression softens. "Oh," I hear the regret in her voice. "I'm sorry."

I give her a comforting smile. "It's okay."

Then Teddy's face lights up again. "Hey, you could live with me. You could sleep in the guest room!" She offers sweetly. Teddy turns her head to Daphne before I could respond. "You can, too!" She says.

Numbness fills me to the brim, I force myself to keep smiling. Guilt infects me like a disease. I can't bear to tell her the truth. Her parents is almost all she talks about.

I change the subject. I raise my voice to alert C-101. "Do you see anything up ahead?"

C-101 walks with Red at his side, he shakes his head. "Nope. Still trees." He says back.

I sigh weary. I look up at the sky, it's gloomy and full of dark clouds. I know that there will be rain soon.

"It's going to rain." I announce.

C-101 examines the sky. "We need to keep walking."

"Where?" I asks.

C-101 groans, annoyed. "I don't know where."

Then it starts to rain. Hard.

C-101 releases a frustrated groan and covers his head with his hands. "Go! RUN!" He orders. We do, our hairs and clothes are soaked to the brim. I grab Daphne's hand when I see her nearly slip.

I'm not sure how long we were running, my lungs begins to ache.

Then our luck finally comes. A small, wooden cabin blesses us with its presence. I find myself gratefully smiling. Finally something good is happening.

Me, C-101, Teddy, and Daphne stand in the rain three feet away from the cabin as Red checks inside. A quick minute passes when Red returns. We all go inside the empty cabin. It's very small, vastly different from the other houses I have been in. It's a one story cabin with dark wooden walls and floors. There's a small kitchen that is adjoined to the dining room and wide living room with a fireplace. There's one bathroom and two bedrooms. It's dark, only the light of outside makes the cabin dim enough to see. I check the sink to see if we have running water. We do not.

"Shit." I mumble under my breath. Teddy points her finger at an object. "Look, a fireplace!" She says.

C-101 directs his finger towards the fireplace. "We need to make a fire for light." He says. He whirls around to Teddy. "You, go get some rocks from outside!" He orders.

Teddy shakes her head stubbornly. "No. I'm not going out there in the rain," C-101 gives her a cold glare. "We just need matches." Teddy says.

I chime in as I make my way over to them. "Matches?" I echo. Teddy nods. "Yep," She makes her way to the fireplace. She points to the fireplace. "Look, it has logs in it already. So we need to get some matches to burn the wood."

C-101 scowls. "You better be right. You're lucky, I'm cold as hell."

With that, we all search for matches.

Daphne finds a pack quickly when she opened a cabinet. "I found some."

Teddy scrambles her way to her and Daphne gives it to her.

Teddy, once again, shows her usefulness. Her eyes are narrow and focused. She makes a match light up and tosses it into the fireplace. In an instant, the fireplace is ablaze. The cabin is immediately brighten. We all gather around the fireplace, feeling the soothing warmth and comfort. It's actually peaceful and quiet. C-101, again, appears impressed. Then he looks at me and Red. "Faye, Red, once the rain stops, you two go out and look for food. We could stay here for a while."

My eyes flicker to Teddy and Daphne. "What about them?"

Teddy jumps in. "I want to come with you. I can hunt." She says.

C-101 looks at me as if I was stupid. "What do you mean, what about them? Who the fuck cares what happens to them?"

I scowl. "Me."

C-101 rolls his eyes. "I don't give a fuck. Bring them with you, don't bring them with you. I don't give two shits."

Conflicted, I ponder to myself. It's dangerous out there for two little girls. I prefer not putting them in danger. But I also don't want to leave them with C-101. I fear he'll infect them or kill them.

C-101 examines me as if he's reading my mind. "I'm not going to do anything to them." He confirms. I fight with myself in my mind, then with brutal will, I decide to trust C-101. "Teddy, Daphne, you will stay with Xander."

The rain continues for the entire day, when it becomes dark, I take Teddy and Daphne's hand and guide them to the nearest bedroom. At first, I think about giving Daphne and Teddy separate rooms. But when I enter the room with them, I see two child sized beds.

"Faye, where will you sleep?" Teddy asks.

"I'll sleep on the floor. Don't worry." I say.

Teddy hops on one of the beds. "You can borrow my sleeping bag." She offers.

I smile. "Thank you."

Teddy flashes me a sweet smile and I tuck her in. "Good night, Ted." I whisper. With that, I scroll over to Daphne's bed and do the same thing to her.

"Faye, do you think my sisters are okay?" Daphne croaks.

I have no idea of knowing, but I lie to keep her spirits up. "I'm sure. Your sister, Enid is tough. She'll find you, I promise."

Daphne gives me a small smile. "I hope you're right."

I nod and smile back. Then I exit the room and keep the door open a crack.

"Why did you bring them, Faye?" C-101 demands once I enter the living room. He sits on the couch with Red next to him.

"They'll slow us down. We can't just add random people to our group!" C-101 berates. I become angry. "C-101, I told you, I couldn't just leave them by themselves. They are my responsibilities."

C-101 rolls his eyes. "You're attached to them." He says bluntly.

It feels natural to admit it. "Yes." Then C-101 burst out laughing. My mind panics and I lunge at C-101 and clamps my hand over his mouth. "Be quiet, you'll wake them!" I whisper harshly. C-101 is still chuckling.

I narrow my eyes. "What's so funny?" I demand. C-101 gives me a hard shove off of him. He smirks at me. "I was just thinking about Winters. He tortured you and everything, but here you are." C-101 chuckles so more.

I just want to slap him. Then curiosity fills me.

"What did Winters do to you?" I inquire.

C-101 appears grim. "Torture, training, isolation. But he gave me less compared to the two of you," He gestures towards me and Red. "Honestly when I got older, he gave up on me. He saw me a failure. So he treated me like one."

I glance at Red.

"What about Red?" I ask.

C-101 appears thoughtful, he glances at Red, then back at me. "Red was Winters' perfect subject. So Red was tortured and isolated the most. I think when she was six, Winters began to train her excessively. Winters basically went nuts when he discovered her abilities, especially her fungus claws and so on."

"Was Red always a mute?" I blurt out.

C-101 takes a moment to answer that question. "I think the last time I heard her speak was when she was five. Then she just stopped talking. Hell, she didn't make a peep. Winters loved that, of course. I think he loves silence more than anything."

I can't help myself asking questions. This is possibly my first pleasant conversation with C-101. (And that says alot.)

"How long has you two known each other?"

C-101 shrugs. "Years. Winters would keep us apart. Usually leaving me in a cell and Red in the training room. But we still interacted with each other from time to time."

I lower my eyes to the floor. "I can't believe we're free." I whisper in disbelief.

C-101 sounds sullen. "Me too."

…

"Don't die out there." C-101 orders. It has stopped raining. Me and Red head out in the early morning to hunt. Teddy and Daphne are probably still asleep, and hopefully me and Red will be back soon.

Red and I walk side by side, I scan the area and Red tenses herself up. Being with Red is both strange, but peaceful.

"Do you see anything?" I asks, despite the fact I know she's not going to verbally answer. Red looks at me and shakes her head. We continue scrolling farther into the forest.

There's a sudden rustle in the bushes, in an instant, Red's fungal claws forms and I brace myself for anything. A rabbit appears and is inches away from us. I draw out the knife I took from the kitchen. But Red strikes first. With frightening speed, Red lunges for the rabbit before it could do anything, she pounces on it and stabs it only one time to kill it with her claws. The rabbit's fur is drenched it's own blood. Red pulls out her claws from the lifeless rabbit's flesh. Her claws retracts into her skin and she picks it up.

I am both disturbed and impressed. "Good job, Red." I compliment. Red shows me the game.

I examine it and remember that Red just infected it. Me, C-101, and Red can eat it, but Teddy and Daphne can't.

"Red, Teddy and Daphne can't eat the rabbit. So next time, let me kill the next animal." I say.

Red glances at the bloody rabbit, then at me and gives me a solemn nod.

We walk again, I listen for animals nearby.

Then a wild deer comes into our sight. It is obvious to us, eating the grass. Me and Red stay silent, we carefully tiptoe towards it. Then we hear the inhumane roars of Infecteds. At the top of the hat, the deer flees to safety. Red draws her claws and bares her teeth. I listen to the roars and count them. I count up to twelve and I'm ready to flee.

I grab Red's wrist and yank her my way. "Follow the deer! Come on!" I cry. With that, I give Red a rough pull and we both dart after the deer. The roaring of the Infecteds get louder and increasing. I hear more than twelve. Eventually as we bolt through the thick forest, we lose the deer and we both are exhausted from running.

Red stops in her tracks and retracts out her claws. Red drops the rabbit. Then she gets into a defensive stance as the Infecteds' cries escalate. Red's eyes flicker to me, I can somehow read them. It is as if she is telling to me get ready for confrontation. I tighten my grip on my knife and tense myself. My heart thunders in my chest.

Then they come and we charge towards them. I feel adrenaline and energy soaring through my body. With a rapid heart, I slash the first runner's throat I approach. Another runner lunges for me, I run away from it and hurl a rock at it with my free hand to slow it down. The rock hits it head and it twitches and wails. Then I charge at it and jam my knife into its side. It lets out a horrible cry and I keep stabbing it until it finally dies. Once I'm done, I look at my surroundings. I don't have to do much killing, Red does the rest. Red is brutal compared to me. She pounces on one, stabbing it in the stomach. She yanks out her claws and slashes the injured runner's neck. Once she kills that one, she attacks the other ones. Red's wild screaming and angry cries keeps the Infecteds away from me and only to her.

I watch Red's sheer carnage. Limbs are on the ground, Red even manages to slash one of the Runner's head clean off. There was at least seventeen runners before, now there's only four.

I gasp as one charges behind her. She is too occupied killing another to notice it. I make a beeline for the runner with my knife drawn. I attract it to my presence. "Over here!" I scream. Then another Runner tackles me from my blind spot. My heart jolts as I fall to the ground with the Runner on top of me. The knife is flung out of my grasp. I push it with my hands and keep it from chewing off my face.

The previous Runner is attacked and mauled by Red instantly. Once she's done, Red runs to my side and penetrates the screeching runner's brain, killing it instantly. The Infected becomes light and lifeless as I find the strength to push it off of me. Suddenly I go into a coughing fit and become breathless and drained.

I look up at Red. "Thank you." I say.

Red simply nods. I get up with unsteady legs. There are piles of dead Infecteds now. Red's clothes and hair is bloody and unkempt. She slowly relaxes herself. Her eyes are wide and alert.

"I think we got them all," I look around to make sure. "Let's go before more come." I say. Then we walk some more. I look at the sky and moan at the sight of dark clouds. Frustrated, I ball up my fists. "Fuck! Not this again! Give me a fucking break!" I complain. I think of Teddy and Daphne and wonder how long we've been out here. I hope Teddy and Daphne are safe. If C-101 does harm them, I will kill him without a second thought. But I have no way of knowing. The farther we walk from the bodies, the darker the clouds become.

I hear clicking sounds and my heartbeat quickens. I hear at least one roaming the area. Red and I slow down our movement and become cautious of our steps. Then I accidently step on a crackly stick and the Clicker charges towards us. Me and Red are side by side, my knife in my possession and Red prepares her claws.

BOOM! In an instant, the Clicker is shot straight through the side of its neck. Red retracts her claws instantly. The Clicker falls down in a pathetic heap. It is not dead, but it is dying and unable to move. I seal its death swiftly as I stab it in its heart repeatedly until it stops moving completely.

"Faye! Are you okay?" I turn my head, surprised to see Teddy, armed with a gun. Daphne is her shadow, she stands right behind her, shaking. Teddy is shaking as well, her hands tremble with the gun. "Wow, I never shot a Infected before." She gulps. She scurries towards me with Daphne behind her.

A pang of anger hits me. I raise my voice. "Teddy! Why are you here?" I demand sharply.

Teddy's eyes widen, she bites her lower lip. "I wanted to help..and.." I cut her off.

"I told you to stay with Xander! It is dangerous out here! Have you lost your mind?" I rebuke.

Teddy shakes her head. "No, Faye. I wanted to help." She insist.

I grit my teeth in frustration. "Teddy, where is Xander?"

"In the cabin, I asked him if we could go looking for you."

"And what did he say?" I inquire.

"Nothing. He didn't say no." Teddy explains.

I ball up my fists, upset. I storm towards her and snatch up her wrist. "I'm taking you two back now!" Teddy frowns and Daphne appears relieved. Teddy resists me, pulling her wrist away. "No, Faye! We can hunt," She shows me her handgun. "It's loaded. There were bullets in the cabin. We could use the gun to hunt down animals." Teddy exclaims.

I'm not in the mood at all. "NO!" I snarl. Teddy shrinks.

"There are Infecteds out here! You could have died, Teddy." I look at Daphne. "Why are you here?"

Daphne becomes pale as snow. Teddy answers for her. "I got her to come. She didn't want to, Faye."

I exhale. "You two could have gotten yourself killed." I feel disappointed and shocked by Teddy's actions. She ran away from C-101. (Granted, C-101 was obviously not monitoring them.) She got Daphne to tag along with her, and she followed us into the Infected infested forest. The only good thing is that she brought a gun. Teddy is right, my knife is tainted with the blood of Infected now. I glance at my knife and think about Red. Did they see her kill those Infecteds? I don't think they did. They don't appear to have. I do not ask them. I examine the both of them. "Are you two okay? Are you hurt?" I demand.

Teddy and Daphne gives me a terse nod in unison. Then things get worst when rain pours on us. We all scurry off farther in the forest. Daphne lets a shrill scream when she trips. She scrambles to her feet and continues to run with us.

My soaked bangs blind me as I run aimlessly.

"There! A cave, come on!" Teddy calls out. I push my wet bangs out of my eyes to see Teddy darting inside of a nearby cave. Me and the others dive in with her. I shiver in my soaked clothes. I'm just angry at this point. I'm upset at Teddy and her antics. I'm mad at C-101's carelessness. I should have stayed with the girls. Why did I trust C-101? I want to kick myself for being so stupid.

I glare at Teddy, my voice is stern and disgruntled. "Teddy, you know what you did was dangerous. You should know better than to do this!" I walk slowly towards her, anger rising in my chest. "You could have gotten killed! You could have gotten Daphne killed!" I berate.

Teddy is defiant. "Well we're not dead, Faye! I had the gun. You saw me shoot that Clicker! We're fine!" Teddy turns her head to Daphne, who is shivering. "Daph, right?"

Daphne glances briefly at her and me and say nothing. Teddy frowns sullen, but still adamant. She glares at me. "Nothing happened." She says sharply.

"Do not argue with me, Teddy!" I growl. "Put up the gun and sit down now! Not another word, Teddy!" Teddy becomes quiet, but she keeps her indignant expression. She does what I say and crosses her arms, vexed. I focus on how we will get back in silence. We're lost in the forest, maybe we should trace back to the bodies of Runners we killed. But for now, we will wait for the rain to stop. Teddy and Daphne are beside themselves, slowly drying off. Teddy fiddles with her white hair bow to distract herself.

No one speaks to anyone. It's dead silent in this damp cave. My anger and frustration eventually vanishes. I start to feel bad for yelling at Teddy. But I can't bring myself to act like what she did was okay. Teddy could have gotten herself and Daphne killed. Just thinking about them being harmed makes me sick. C-101 is right. I am attached to the girls. It continues to rain, we've been in this cave for hours. We're all dry now and we are all beside ourselves.

Daphne is surprisingly the first person to break the silence. "How are we going to get back?"

I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know. I'll figure something out," I'm thoughtful for a moment. "Did you just bring a gun with you?"

Teddy doesn't look me in the eyes. "Yeah." She replies.

Daphne scoots closer to me. She shivers like a leaf. "It was really scary out there." Daphne expresses.

I put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You're okay now. Just stay close to us when we head back." I whisper. Daphne nods in agreement.

"So what happened exactly?" I asks.

Daphne lowers her eyes for a second, she glances at Teddy briefly, then to me. "We didn't know you left, so Teddy wanted to look for you. I didn't want to come. But Teddy kept asking me to. I tried to talk to Xander, but he was just being mean. He just went to his room and said a lot of bad words." Then her voice drifts off and she releases out a cough.

"Teddy and I...well.." She goes into another coughing fit.

My eyes widen with concern. "Are you okay?" I ask. Daphne quickly nods. "Yes. I just had something in my throat. I'm fine." She reassures me. I take a moment to look outside, it is still raining hard. The sky is darkening, I wonder how long we've been out here.

"I wish I brought my sleeping bag!" Teddy mumbles. When night rolls around, we all sleep on the rocky ground. Uncomfortable and cold. Red takes the first watch. I'm not sure if she is going to wake me up to take watch afterwards. Daphne and Teddy stay close together and sleep next to each other. I gaze at them, their shivering movements pains me. I wish I had some cloth. But I do not, I sleep like a log.

Teddy's hysterical voice wakes me up in the early morning. "Faye! Faye! Wake up! Daphne is sick! She's very hot! She's sick!" I glance up at Teddy, she has bags under her eyes, her raven colored hair is matted, her white hair bow is on the ground. I sit up, drowsy and low on energy. "What….calm down..Ted, what is happening?" Teddy grabs my arm and yanks me forward.

"Daphne is sick!" Teddy exclaims. I glance over at Daphne, she lays on her side, limp. I scramble to my feet and hurry to her side. Teddy is right behind me. Red slowly rises from her slumber.

Daphne looks pale, her forehead is drenched with beads of sweat. Her eyes are closed and she appears tensed.

Teddy puts her hand on Daphne's forehead for a quick second. "She's hot. She got a bad fever."

I've never been ill. My healing abilities prevents me from experiencing natural illnesses. I only know a few thing about illnesses and how to care for them from Mucker. I touch Daphne's forehead, the heat is alarming and I yank my hand away. Daphne breathes heavily, as if she is having a hard time inhaling. She goes into a abrupt coughing fit.

My heart is brimful of anxiety and worry. What do I do? What do I do? I chant in my head. I refuse to panic in front of Teddy. Teddy tries to wake Daphne up. "Wake up, Daph. Wake up." She gives her a few shakes.

Daphne opens her eyes and sniffles. Teddy looks like she's on the verge of tears. I can already read her mind. She thinks Daphne getting suddenly sick is her fault. It probably is, I don't know.

 _What do I do? What do I do?_

 _23 will come eventually. Please leave reviews and thoughts._


	23. Trust

**In this chapter, Faye must deal with Daphne's illness and her strained relationship with Teddy. Enjoy.**

"Daph, are you okay?" Teddy hovers over her sick friend. Daphne is sweating, her face is reddish, and her fever is stealing her strength. Daphne's illness seem to have come out of nowhere. I think penicillin is the right thing for Daphne's condition. I remember Mucker fondly. He was an avid chemist, he took notes and memos of chemicals in the hospital. I remember this one time when I caught him making penicillin. He was alone in his chamber, staring at a moldy slice of bread.

I sit in the damp cave with half of my group. C-101 is probably still waiting for us. Well, waiting for Red and me.

Tears rolls down Teddy's face. The rain finally stops and I am eager to leave. I consider taking Daphne back to the cabin to give her, well, anything. There's no medicines and we are lacking many basic resources. But leaving her in this cold cave isn't the brightest idea. I scroll over to Daphne and attempt to pick her up. She's heavier than I anticipated. I decide not to carry her in my arms, instead, I manage to get her on my back. With weak strength, she clings me. Teddy is silent and sticks close to me and Daphne. Then we all head out into the forest, Red takes the lead. She doesn't draw out her claws in front of the girls, but she does stay alert. Daphne lays her head on my shoulders, breathing weakly with her eyes shut.

"You'll be fine. I promise." I whisper. I glance down at Teddy as we walk. She stares at the ground as she hobbles on. No longer did she have her cheerful smile or bountiful amounts of energy. Now she's weary and crestfallen.

I'm not sure what to say to her exactly, so I say nothing to her. No one speaks to anyone for a long time. Then we all halt at the sound of a unfamiliar voice.

"Dammit. Come on!" The voice is male and sounds frustrated. The voice seems to be close, my curiosity takes over and I scurry over to the voice to see a man standing over a dead deer. He is slim and young looking for a man in his mid thirties. The man has a long face, round brown eyes, and curly, auburn hair. In his possession, he carries a crossbow, I look at the deer to see a arrow in it's side.

The man notices my presence. "Hello." He says in a surprised voice.

"Hello." I say back halfheartedly. The man takes one look at Daphne and he appears concerned. "Is she okay?" He asks.

I can't explain why, but I mistrust this man. But I see no point in lying. "No." I say hollow. I'm eager to leave now, I turn my back to the man. Then Teddy takes a step closer to him. She gives him a small smile and looks at him in the eyes.

"Can you help us? We're lost and my friend is very sick." Teddy begs.

"Teddy, no!" I blurt out harshly. Teddy turns her head to me. "Daphne is sick, Faye. We need help!" She insist.

The man stares at us, both amused and bewildered. "It's not everyday I see kids wandering around this place. Sure, I'll help. I have food, water, meds, and everything at my settlement." He flashes a kind smile to us. I scowl back at him.

"We're fine." I rebuff.

"FAYE!" Teddy hiss.

The man is understanding. "It's alright. I get it. It's not wise to trust every person you see. I get your cautiousness. If you don't want my help, fine. But please think about finding my settlement. We have warm beds, children your ages, and penicillin for the sick."

Teddy becomes impatient and makes her way to me. "Please, Faye, this man can help us!"

I examine the man keenly. I'll admit I have a hard time trusting others. Winters' years of torture cracked my ability to trust years ago. But it also taught me to be cautious and shrewd. I mean, what survivor would offer this much resources so abruptly? This man doesn't even know our names! And how do I know he's telling the truth? What if the man is dangerous and is trying to pull a ruse on us? Paranoid thoughts floods my psyche. I make up my mind.

"No," I start walking away. "Come on, Teddy." Teddy becomes stubborn. "No," She hurries towards the man. "Please, can we have the meds? My friend needs it." She pleads. I can feel the desperation in her voice.

Teddy truly wants to help her friend, but trusting a random stranger is dangerous. I grab Teddy's arm and yank her forward. Teddy tugs back, but I just tighten my grip. "No! Faye, stop it!" She complains. Then we go.

Teddy doesn't even look at me. She gives me the cold shoulder, looking irritated and indignant. Our relationship is now strained and it honestly hurts my heart to realize that. But I can't do anything about it now. Hours passes, we pass the masses of bodies of Infecteds and I realize we are close. We return to the cabin before the sun disappears. Red opens the door and lets me in first, I spill in there and immediately put Daphne to bed for some rest. Then I go and get the backpack to fetch one of the bottled water. I make sure I never get saliva on the bottles. Winters did tell me I could infect others that way. Even though I have my doubts because I see no evidences to that, I still stay cautious. When I drink bottled water, I literally pour it in my mouth to drink it. I give Daphne some water and make sure she's comfortable in her bed. She is still sweating heavily, her coughing fits becomes violent and constant. I have no idea how to tend to Daphne's fever.

C-101 doesn't care at all for what is happening and goes on about his business. Red is silent as always. Teddy is bitter towards me and Daphne is sick as a dog. Yeah, everything's just peachy today.

I leave Daphne to rest and decide to rekindle my relationship with Teddy. Teddy sits near the fireplace, warming herself up. I sit next to her, forcing myself to appear happy. I make sure my voice sweet and gentle.

"How are you doing, Teddy?" I ask.

Teddy scowls. "We need to find that man so he can help Daphne." She declares.

I try to explain my reasoning for rejecting his offer. "Ted, you can't trust everyone you meet. What if that man was lying? You never know."

Teddy is adamant. "That man was nice. Why would he lie for? He wanted to help."

I shake my head. "No. That man was too nice, sometimes people can be faking their niceness to do bad things to you. That man was very…..creepy." I rebuff.

"My Mommy and Daddy told me that there are good people in the world I can trust. Not everyone is bad. That man wanted to help and you were just mean to him!" Teddy argues.

I begin to lose my patience. "Teddy, he wasn't nice, he was weird. You don't know him at all!" I say, my voice becoming harsh.

Teddy's voice becomes sharp and defiant. "You don't know him either! Daphne is sick and he wanted to help us, but you chose to be mean!" With that, Teddy scrambles to her feet and storms away from me angrily.

I feel anger growing in my chest. "Come back here right now!" I order.

"NO!" Teddy shrieks. With that, she storms into the bedroom and close the door. I growl under my breath with frustration. C-101's chuckling doesn't help the mood.

"So how's the bonding going, Faye? Looks like your little pet ran away from you." He mocks.

I am not in the mood. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I snarl. "I haven't forgotten about you, you dipshit. You let Daphne and Teddy to go out the cabin alone!"

C-101 rolls his eyes, he paces around the kitchen. "First off, they're not alone if they have each other. Secondly, they're not my problem. I could give two shits if they live or die. You're the one who left me alone with them. You were supposed to care for your little pets."

I roll my eyes. "You promised me you would watch them! But instead Teddy and Daphne came looking for me!" I rant. "I gave you one job!"

C-101 shrugs his shoulders. "Again, not my problem. I didn't promise you I'd watch them, I promise you I wouldn't do anything to them. And I didn't."

I feel like I'm arguing with a wall. I was so stupid to trust C-101 for anything. I tighten my balled up fists. "This fucking sucks!" I mumble to myself miserably.

C-101 makes his way to the couch. "What?" He asks.

"Everything! Teddy is angry at me, Daphne is sick, and I don't know what to do." I cry. C-101 appears listless, but still asks me questions to pass the time. "What did you do? Not give her a cookie?" He inquires.

I let C-101's insult roll down my back. "No. There was a man we ran into. He offered us food, water, and meds. But I didn't think trusting him was a good idea. But Teddy, well, she trusted him. So...now.. She's mad at me. I don't know," I look at C-101 with vulnerability. "Do you think I did the right thing?"

C-101 narrows his eyes. "Yes," His words were sharp, but supportive. "Faye, you possibly did the most intelligent thing ever. That guy could have been dangerous for all we know. Hell, how do you know he was telling the truth?"

I feel less weight on my shoulders. "Thanks." I whisper. But I still have doubts. Daphne is still sick and is not improving. I am in a constant battle in my mind over this. What if the man was telling the truth? I don't know.

When night comes, I sleep on the couch until I hear the sound of the back door's doorknob. Red is fast asleep on the floor and C-101 is in his bedroom. When I wake up, the moonlight permeates the room. I see Teddy with her little backpack and a handgun in her back pocket, in the process of opening the back door.

"Teddy!" I whisper harshly. Teddy becomes rigid with fright and whirls around. Her eyes are wide and apprehension.

I get off the couch and make my way to her. "What are you doing, Teddy? Go back to bed."

Teddy scowls in defiance. "No. I'm going to look for that man who wanted to help!" She proclaims.

Anger flashes in my eyes. "No. You will not!" I point a stern finger to her and Daphne's bedroom. "Go to your room!"

Teddy glares me, her words become sharp. "You can't make me go to that room! You're not my Mommy!" She hiss. "I'm going to find that man to help Daphne and you don't tell me what to do!" Teddy doesn't break her glare from me. She stomps her foot. "Friends should always help each other!" She exclaims vehemently. I am so sick with Teddy's rebellious behavior. Before she was sweet and gentle, but now she's stubborn and obstinate. I feel so drained at this point. A small part of me is pretty impressed by Teddy's strong willed nature, but the other side of me is just frustrated. But overall I know that Teddy is steadfast in this decision of hers. Even if I stop her now, what will stop her later? She'll slip away from me eventually. Teddy breaks her glare and opens the back door a crack. Before she could take one step outside, I speak up. "Teddy, wait," I seize Teddy's attention. "I'm coming with you. You'll need backup." I declare. I hope that if Teddy and I find nothing, Teddy will simply give up on this.

Teddy's face lights up with shock. She is quiet for a moment, then she gives me a small smile. "Okay." She mutters.

I remember C-101 and Red. "I need to tell them first." I say.

Teddy nods solemnly. "I'll wait."

I make my way to C-101's bedroom and opens his door. I scroll to his bed to shake him awake. C-101 glares at me when I do. "What?" He grumbles.

"Me and Teddy are going out to look for that man." I answer.

"Okay." C-101 whispers halfheartedly, then he goes back to sleep. Then I exit the room and return back to Teddy. Then we go without another word.

I wish we left in the morning, but Teddy is adamant to do this now. We stay in the moonlight, the forest is now hauntingly ominous. Teddy stays close to me.

I take this time to try to rekindle our strained relationship. "Teddy, I know Daphne is your friend. But this is very dangerous." I say.

Teddy gestures towards her gun. "It's loaded. I can protect myself."

I exhale. "But why if the man isn't here?"

"But what if he's camping out like we used to?" Teddy argues. I groan in frustration. We continue walking for a long time, Teddy seems to be sleepy, but she keeps walking along beside me. I keep an eye out for an Infected nearby, I hear nor see anything.

I look up at the starry sky, it's a beautiful sight. Then I notice something. Smoke. Dark smoke steaming into the heavens. I assume that's the man we saw. Perhaps Teddy was right. Maybe he is camping out here.

"I think I see smoke." I report.

Teddy looks up at the sky immediately. "You're right! It's really far away, come on!" Almost like a switch being turned on, Teddy is brimful of enthusiasm. She runs ahead towards the smoke as I chase after her. The smoke is very far away and me and Teddy become exhausted and decide to just walk very quickly. It takes us thirty minutes to reach the site and miraculously find the same man. I'm shocked by the luck.

The man's back is to us. He sits near his fire, near him are his games. I see the bodies of hunted rabbits, fish impaled with sticks, and a hunted squirrel all placed on a dark green coat. Teddy speaks up first. "Sir? Can you help us?" She asks, immediately seizing his attention. The man whirls around, surprised to see us.

"You mean your friend?" He asks.

Teddy nods and smile. "Yes. You said you could help. So can you help us, please?" Teddy begs sweetly.

The man eyes us both for a short moment. "Sure, just follow me to my settlement and I'll give you everything you need. My settlement is full of people, people your age. I'm leaving in the morning to go back."

Teddy beams. "Thank you!" She exclaims happily. I still feel doubtful of this man, but I keep it to myself.

"You hungry? I got plenty of food and water to spare." He offers.

Teddy nods her head. "Thank you."

Then Teddy makes her way towards him, I follow Teddy like a shadow, never taking my eyes off of this man. He looks and acts like a good natured fellow, but I just have this bad feeling. I don't eat, but Teddy does. She nibbles on a chunk of cooked fish.

The man begins to introduce himself. "My name is Blake. What's yours?"

Teddy answers immediately. "Teddy."

Blake smiles warmly. "Well that's a cute name." Then he looks at me. "And you?" I say nothing.

Teddy frowns at my silence and answers for me. "Faye. Her name is Faye."

Blake looks back at Teddy. "She's your sister?"

Teddy shakes her head. "No. She's helping me look for my parents."

Blake appears concerned. "What happened to your parents?"

Teddy lowers her eyes. "They left. I was waiting for them in my treehouse."

Blake is quiet for a moment, then he speaks in a gentle voice. "Well I hope you find them. Family is the most important thing in this world."

"We will. My Mommy and Daddy are super tough! They grew up in a Safe zone and were trained in the military. They're fine." Teddy exclaims.

"A Safe zone, huh? I never been in one. The place is too strict." Blake expresses. Then he raises an eyebrow. "How did your parents escape a Safe zone? I mean those places are locked up good."

Teddy shakes her head again. "No, I live in a house very far away. It was my Great Grandmother on my Mom's side. My Daddy told me that he and Mommy left the Safe zone before I came. I've never been in a Safe zone either." Teddy glances at me. "Have you ever been in a Safe zone?"

I shake my head. "No. Never." I've heard of Safe Zones, apparently Mucker lived in one for a long time before I came.

I stay a mute as the two continue to chatter. When Blake puts out the fire, I take watch. Teddy goes to sleep and has with her gun within hands reach of her.

….

In the morning, me and Teddy help Blake carry the rest of his games. After exhausting, long hours of walking into the mountains, we discover Blake's settlement. It's a wide area with dozens of wooden cottages scattered around, there is wooden, sturdy looking fence surrounding the area, I spot a few men fixing a broken part of the fence far in the distance. We must go through a security check point when we approach the front. The guards are dressed in thick clothing and are carrying rifles. They check us for bites and find nothing, then they allow us inside.

The settlement is full of people, there's half done construction of other houses, children are playing and running around, I see two women laughing and chatting, men and women zooming through the place with hunted animals and guns. Everything looks peaceful. But I have no plans of staying here for long.

"Where's the resources?" I ask bluntly.

Blake points towards a building made out of bricks. "In here," We scroll over to the building, then he stops us. "Kids aren't allowed in here. I'll go get your penicillin, wait out here."

Teddy agrees. "Okay."

Blake opens the door of the building and is gone for at least thirty minutes. When he returns, he has a paper bag and he hands it to me. I check it and see the penicillin.

Relief flows through like a wave. I'm grateful. "Thank you." I say sincerely.

Blake smiles. "You're welcome, Faye. Anything to help others." He replies.

"Thank you, Blake! Daphne is gonna be okay!" Teddy cheers.

Blake glances off into the distance. "You could stay here for the day, it's a mighty long walk back. You can stay here for a few days. It's been a long time since we had newcomers." He says.

I still have no plans to stay here. "We can walk." I rebuff.

"Well where are your settlement at?" His voice changes a little.

I do not want to tell this man our location. Yeah I'm thankful towards him, but I still don't trust him.

"Far away from here, but close enough." Then my impulses kicks in. "We have a big group and we all live in a huge camp site." I say this to keep him at bay.

Teddy appears confused. "No, we…" I nudge Teddy to shut her up.

"Come on, please, take up my offer. It's very dangerous out there for a bunch of children." Blake reasons.

I shake my head. "No. Just give us the food and the other resources and we will on our way." I insist. Teddy is conflicted, she appears indecisive and stays quiet.

Blake's smile turns into a thin line. "Fine." He says hollow. "Wait here." With that he walks away from us and disappears into a nearby cottage.

I think of Blake's change in personality. Why did he want us to stay with him? He knows we have a sick child with us.

Then we hear a distressed cry in the distance. "OH SHIT!" A woman screams. Then I hear a shower of bullets and the shouting of a man. "INFECTEDS! INFECTEDS! THERE'S TOO MANY!" Teddy clings to me like a lifeline, she becomes stiff as a statue. I'm prepared to run, I wrap one protective arm around Teddy. Then the horrid, blood chilling screeching of Clickers and Runners escalates. Then me and Teddy bolt. There is a massive amount of them from the sounds of it, at least up to twenty. They come roaring in, charging at anyone that lay their eyes on. Children scream and run away, Mothers scoop up their children and dive into their cottages, armed men and women shoots relentlessly, and everyone else flees in panic. It's mass hysteria, the peace of this settlement is now replaced with dread and horror.

We are a good distance away from the Infecteds, but too far away from the entrance. I dart to the nearest house and I discover that the door is locked. The Infecteds' cries get louder. Every second counts. I hastily run with Teddy again, we end up turning a U-turn into a alleyway. Teddy is out of breath, she is gasping for air heavily. I take a brief moment to stop and breathe.

"Where do we go?" Teddy asks. Her small voice quivers.

"Away from here. Pull out your gun." I say curt.

Teddy pulls out her gun.

I grab Teddy's free hand and I pull her forward. "Stay calm." I advise. Then I take one, mindless step and I unknowingly step on a thin string I can barely see. Then I notice it instantly and in a split second I see a odd looking device that looks like a can pasted to the wall of the alleyway. I have no idea what it is, but I have a gut feeling that alarms me. I don't even look at Teddy when I fling myself back and slam myself into her.

Teddy lets out a sharp cry as we tumble to the ground, in an instant, I pluck her up and run a fair distance away, yanking her along. As I do, the device goes off. Half of the alleyway's walls are rubble, but still standing. White smoke swarms the alleyway. I tug on Teddy too hard and I cause her fall, her finger accidentally triggers the gun to fire off into the distance. She jerks out of fright. I help Teddy up immediately, then a Clicker tackles me out of nowhere. The gun fire and the explosion must have alerted it to our location. I have no weapon, I keep the Clicker from biting off my face.

Teddy shoots it in the head. But the bullet only grazes it's fungal head armor. "LEAVE HER ALONE!" Teddy screams, shooting the Clicker again three times, this time in the side of it's head. The Clicker lets out a pained cry as I find the strength to shove it off of me. Then it dies.

I see more charging for us in the distance. "RUN, TEDDY!" I shriek, I grab her hand and we run blindly through the settlement. We evade Infecteds the best we can and try to find the entrance or the exit.

"KIDS! IN HERE!" It is Blake's voice. I then realize we end up near his house. He frantically gestures to us to come inside. In his hands is a loaded shotgun. "HURRY NOW!" He yells. Without thought, me and Daphne dart for the house, Blake opens the door and we spill immediately. Blake slams the door and we are safe for now.

 _24\. Will come eventually. Please give me your opinions and thoughts on the story so far. Please give me constructive criticism on the story. Also give me your thoughts on the characters._


	24. Trust Part 2

Me and Teddy spill into Blake's living room. Breathless and anxious, me and Teddy cling to each other. Teddy trembles like a leaf, her hand is glued to her handgun. Blake looks out the front door's peephole. The screams of the Infecteds are muffled, but still jarring. Eventually they lessens as they lose interest in us and lurk elsewhere. My heart is racing every second, I can't seem to relax with tense muscles.

"You two okay?" Blake asks, walking towards us.

Teddy nods weakly. "Yes, we got away." She croaks.

"What happened?" I blurt out.

Blake runs his tired fingers through his auburn hair and exhales. "I don't know. Apparently a bunch of Infecteds came out of nowhere and got in. Probably through that broken part of the fence. I was looking for you two for a while. Then I went to get my gun."

Teddy continues to shake. "Me and Faye went into this alley and we nearly died." Teddy says softly.

Blake leans on the wall. "You must have got into the traps. We had instances where Infecteds would sneak in, so we booby trapped the alleyways. Usually we would close off those areas, just in case, kids got in there. But this time, someone forgot."

A sudden smile smears itself onto Blake's face. "I'll make you two something to eat, I can make a nice meal."

Teddy is stiff faced, but I see the corners of her lips curling up. "Thank you, Blake." She says.

Blake clears his throat. "You can look around. Just don't take anything."

I look around the house. The house is made out of wood and is one story. I try the sink and I am elated that there's running water. I discover the house has four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Most of the bedrooms are vacant, they have warm beds and pictures on the walls. As I'm walking, Teddy is my shadow. "This place is nice." Teddy comments. I hear Blake in the kitchen.

I think about Teddy shooting that Clicker to save me. "Good job back there, Ted. You're pretty good with a gun." I compliment.

Teddy's face breaks out into a bright smile. Finally Teddy is slowly becoming her old self. "Thanks, Faye. My Daddy taught me, he said that guns are the most important thing you need." Her eyes floods with enthusiasm. "I could teach you." Teddy offers. "I promised Daphne I would teach her."

I smile out of amusement. "Thanks," I think of Daphne and become somber. "Hopefully this horde of Infected will go away so we can give this penicillin to Daphne." I whisper.

"We will." Teddy reassures.

Me and Teddy reach the end of the hallway and enter the nearest room to relax. We go into one of the bedroom and sit on the bed. The bed is soft and warm. Me and Teddy stay in this room for a long time as Blake cooks us a meal. The entire house has functioning ceiling lights and switches, something I missed greatly.

A full hour passes and the Infecteds are still roaming the area. But the humans are getting the upper hand. It is so surreal being in this secure house when everything is going to shit outside. I hear less and less of the Infecteds, then eventually I hear Blake's voice calling out to us. When me and Teddy make it to the dining room, we see a wide table with delicious food. There's a bowl of corn, mashed potatoes, there's stew with vegetables, there's a plate of piles of chicken legs, a bowl of green beans, and cups of cold water. I am starving, I'm at the table within a second. The food is still steaming hot, I blow the food before I put it in my mouth. Teddy makes herself a bowl of green beans and corn. Blake sits at the end of the table, eating away.

"This is really good, Blake." Teddy comments.

"Thank you. It is very nice to have someone around for a change." Blake beams.

I eat in silence as Teddy chatters Blake's ears off. Blake doesn't seem to be bothered by Teddy at all, he seems to adore her. Everything he says or does is warm and attentive.

"What's your job?" Teddy asks.

"I'm a hunter. I hunt animals and give them to the community. Here, we have a system," Blake gestures with his hands. "We have hunters, smugglers, medics, child care takers, guards, and checkers."

Teddy appears intrigued. "What's a checker and smuggler?"

"Well, I guess I should explain this more thoroughly. Checkers; a people with a keen eyes, they check people for bites, if they're newcomers. Guards do the similar thing, if the Checkers are not around. Smugglers smuggle resources to Quarantine Zones and other areas. Medics give medicines and medical attention to the sick and injured. Child care takers are often women who take care of the children. From orphans to children whose parents need them to be taken care part time. They also serve as teachers to educate the children about the old world."

Teddy's eyes widens with excitement. "Wow! My Mommy was a teacher. She used to teach at a Quarantine Zone before I was born. Then she homeschooled me."

Blake chuckles amused. "Well what did your Mama teach you?"

"Math, spelling, writing, and reading." Teddy replies.

"Did you like it? Was it hard?" Blake inquires.

Teddy makes a face. "I liked spelling and writing and reading. But I hated math. It was too hard," Teddy appears amused. "My Mommy would get mad at me when I draw on my paper. Sometimes the math problems were too hard."

I find myself chuckling when Teddy says that. I think I attracted Blake's attention to me. "What about you, Faye?"

I still don't trust this man, but I decide to open myself up a little to him. I think of Mucker. "I had a teacher. He was a good friend of mine. He would teach me stuff about chemicals and other basic subjects."

"Chemistry? Well your friend must have been a genius, because I was a pretty dumb kid in school. When I was your age, I was roof jumping with my friends and skip classes to go act stupid." Blake expresses.

Me and Teddy both chuckle in amusement.

When we all finish our hearty meals, Blake gives me cans of food and bottles of water for the road. I stuff them all into Teddy's backpack.

By nightfall, the Infecteds are killed and the settlement is now silent. I decide that we leave in the morning, but for now, we rest here. Me and Teddy sleep in the same bedroom, I worry that Blake would do something to Teddy if she was alone. Yes, Blake seems like a nice guy, but I don't know if he is truly a nice guy.

I tuck Teddy in and lay on the edge of the bed to give her space. I close my eyes, trying to slip into unconsciousness. Then there is screaming.

….

Teddy jolts up in her bed, the screaming scares me so much, I tumble off the bed and fall to the floor. The screaming is long winded and bloodcurdling, it is outside, but it seems very close to the house.

"What's going on?" Teddy cry. The screaming ceases.

Then there is a hysterical woman's voice cries out. "HELP! HELP! SOMEBODY! HELP!"

Teddy jumps out of bed and to the window. She peeks through the blinds. "Faye, turn on the light!"

I scramble to my feet and turn on the light switch. Afterwards, I hurry to the window to look outside.

I see a hyperventilating woman standing near the house. She looks terrible. Her hair is caked with dirt and dark crimson, her skin is covered in dirt and scratches, her left eye is swollen and purple, her lips were busted and bleeding. Her clothes are almost shredded and unkempt. Her movement shows her pain, she paces around frantically. "HELP! HELP!" She shrieks. The woman then notices us staring at her. She runs full speed to the window and slams herself into the glass. "HELP! PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, HELP ME!" She screeches. I'm unsettled, I have no clue on what's going on. Teddy appears uncomfortable too.

"WHERE IS THE EXIT? WHERE?" She cries.

I say nothing, I just shrug my shoulders. This causes the woman to burst into tears. Why does she want to find the exit? And why is she screaming and hollering for help to find it? I ponder. Uneasy, I pull Teddy back and I remove myself from the blinds. The woman panics and frantically pounds onto the glass to get our attention. "NO! NO! PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE ME! HELP! THEY'RE GONNA KILL ME! PLEASE! THEY'RE MONSTERS! ALL OF THEM! HELP!"

Then I hear a male voice. "HEY! COME BACK HERE!" I don't want to look outside, I make sure Teddy stays away from the window. The woman lets out a terrified shriek and I can hear her rapid footsteps running away.

"What's going on?" Teddy asks, baffled.

"Calm down. I don't know." I advise. Then we hear the same woman scream bloody murder again, then there's a gunshot and the screaming ceases. Why in the hell is going on? I think.

Then there is a tap on the bedroom door. "Girls, are you alright?" Teddy scurries away from me and jerks the door open to let in Blake. Teddy speaks a mile a minute. "Blake, there was a screaming lady outside. She was screaming for help." Teddy exclaims.

"I think she just got shot. She was asking us how to get out of here." I say.

Blake stares at me in silence. His face becomes stiff, as if he is thinking hard to himself. I feel my distrust for him increase. "Did you not hear the screaming?" I demand.

Blake shakes his head. "No. I was asleep. Look, just go back to sleep, kids."

But I'm stubborn. I can just sense something is wrong. That woman was screaming bloody murder and Blake never once got up and checked. She was pounding on the glass for fuck sakes! I think.

"That woman was screaming for help, she was saying that someone was trying to kill her." I explain.

Blake presses his lips. "Faye, that woman is none of my concern. She was probably some crazy nut."

I don't like that answer, but before I can ask another question, Teddy tugs on my arm. "Maybe Blake's right. She did look crazy." Teddy whispers.

Blake smiles when he realizes Teddy is on his side. "Everything is fine, I promise." He reassures.

I'm not reassured at all, but Teddy keeps tugging my arm. Eventually I give up my questioning and me and Teddy prepare for bed again. Blake leaves in utter silence.

…

I barely sleep a wink. When morning arrives, I'm up and ready to go. I wait for Teddy to come out the bathroom. I can't stop thinking about the woman last night. _Why did she want to leave so badly? Why was she killed? Who was she?_ I ponder to myself.

When Teddy exits the bathroom, she comes to me with her backpack and gun. "I'm ready." Teddy tells me.

I open my mouth to say something when Blake appears in the hallway. Something is off about him. He's not smiling nor frowning, he looks sullen. He stands there in front, silent and motionless. He stares at the floor, as if he is deep in thought.

Teddy looks uneasy. "Blake, are you okay?" she asks.

"Where's your settlement?" There's no gentleness in his voice of any kind. He's gravely serious.

Teddy doesn't answer, she looks at me.

I keep up my lie. "Far away." I say curt.

"Where?" Blake urges.

I glare at him. "Why do you want to know?"

Blake looks at me, his eyes remind me of Winters'. Cold and threatening. I'm both shocked and shaken by Blake's sudden change in personality. Teddy gets close to me, uncomfortable.

"Look, I got a job to do, kid. If you have a settlement or any kind of site, you must tell me."

Job? I think.

The air is thinning, my heart beats a mile a minute. My lungs tightens, I know something is going to happen.

"No. I'm not telling you anything." I rebuff. I grab Teddy's hand and glance down at her. "We are leaving."

"Fine. I will find it myself." says Blake. BAM! Then I'm shot in the left shoulder. I yelp in pain, Teddy screams and falls on her butt. I spasm out in agony, the bullet went through, but it still hurts like hell.

Blake inches towards me and Teddy, armed and with hunger in his eyes. I'm barely able to move as the sharp pain surges through my body. I use my remaining strength to get in front of Teddy. Teddy is hyperventilating, her eyes are watery and she is trembling like a leaf.

"I tried to be fucking nice to you. All you had to do was tell me where your settlement is and none of this would have happened." Blake snarls, he aims the gun directly at me.

Teddy is hysterical. "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?" Her voice is shrill and fearful.

Blake looks up at Teddy, his eyes softens a little. "Sorry, kid. This is my job, I'm a raider, kid. There cannot be witnesses."

Tears run down Teddy's cheeks. "A raider?" She croaks.

"A person who raids other settlement to better our own. Where did you think we got the meds and resources from?"

I glare at this bastard with hate. I can feel my wound healing. "You're a fucking monster!" I shriek.

Blake looks at me nonchalantly. "Kid, we are all monsters." I stand firm in front of Teddy, ready to take a bullet for her.

Teddy scrambles to her feet and with frightful eyes, she pulls out her gun and aims it at Blake. Blake's eyes widen with surprise.

Teddy gulps and shakes, but still manages to hold the gun steady. I feel lightheaded from all of this. So much madness in such a of short span of time.

"Leave Faye alone!" She commands.

Blake narrows his eyes, his voice become colder and aggressive. "Do not make me kill you, Teddy." He warns. He raises his gun and aims it at Teddy.

I lunge at him, baring my teeth. I luckily catch him by surprise, I wrap my arms around him and tussle for his gun. I bite his right wrist and I bite it hard. I make sure I claw his skin until they're nothing but flesh. Hope you love my infection, you traitorous bastard. My left hand grabs the handle of the gun, trying to tug it away from him. I'm weak, compared to him, but I'm effective. Blake drops his gun and I'm still on him like an animal. Then Blake gets the upper hand and grabs a handful of my hair and hauls me up into the air. Within seconds, I'm slammed to the hard floor. I'm gasping and coughing for air, the slam steals all my energy. Blake is ruthless, he doesn't stop when he throws me, I'm punched and kicked repeatedly.

"STOP! STOP!" Teddy screams. Teddy is stiff as a statue, rapid tears pour down her face as she helplessly looks on at me being beaten to a pulp. Blake gets on top of me and wraps his hands around my throat. He strangles me, I dig my nails into his skin to get him off of me. I try to scream, but I only release out a weak shriek.

"PLEASE! NO!" Teddy shrieks. I feel myself becoming weak, my face becomes purplish. I kick and squirm with all of my might.

BOOM! Blake releases his grip on my throat, I gaze at him in horror. I stare at the bullet shaped hole in the center of his head. Blake dies instantly and falls on top of me. I shove him off with a thundering heart. I breathe heavily.

"Teddy….Teddy…" I mutter. I turn my head, Teddy's eyes are wide and full of dread. She is motionless, she's still in the same position of when she shot Blake.

I gaze at her in shock. Something is just wrong about Teddy killing Blake. I should have done it. Not her. She's too young, too innocent.

I decide to be calm and I take a gentle approach. "It's okay, Teddy. Put the gun down and take a deep breath." I walk towards her cautiously. Teddy is in a self induced trance, I take the gun from her gingerly and put it on the floor. I kneel down. I decide to distract her. "Daphne is waiting for us right now. We need to go." I tell her.

Teddy takes time to slip out of her trance, her lips tremble and she throws herself onto me. She sobs softly into my right shoulder. I give a comforting pat on the back. "Calm down, it's okay." I soothe.

I grab Teddy's hand again. Then things get worst. There is a booming banging on the front door. "OPEN UP! OPEN UP! WE HEARD GUNSHOTS!" The banging goes louder and louder. "We need to go," I grab the gun and yank Teddy off her feet. I rush to the back door and we both hurry out the house. Thankfully the guards notices us as they are occupied with the front door. We run a good distance away from them, until one of the guard catches a glimpse of us.

"HEY, OVER THERE! THOSE TWO KIDS!"

"DAMMIT!" I cry. Me and Teddy bolt. It is early in the morning, almost everyone is beginning to awaken. I see a couple of window blinds opening and closing as we dart through the settlement. The entire place is sealed off by the wooden fence and we have no idea where the entrance is. I feel frustration built up in me. I hear the men's voices coming closer.

I take a risk and dart for the nearest building I see, it appears abandoned. We run to the nearest window that is thankfully open wide enough for me and Teddy to fit in. "Get in!" With that, I grab Teddy with brutal strength and hoist her up. Teddy stays quiet and jumps into the building. I go next and I close the window.

Then I hear Teddy gasps. "FAYE!" I turn my head to a young girl aiming a gun directed at the side of my head. The little girl is scrawny. She is shorter than me, but taller than Teddy. She has a oval shaped face, curly light brown hair that touches her shoulders, fair skin, and brown eyes. Her eyes are narrow and serious, she has a perpetual scowl. She is wearing thick clothing and leather boots. She reminds me of Alexa.

The young girl grits her teeth and glares at me. "Who the fuck are you?" She demands, her voice is harsh and cold.

I move away from the window, never taking my eyes off of the young girl. I do nothing with the gun in my hand. I do not want to kill her.

"Calm down. I'm harmless." I reassure.

"Who sent you?" The young girl demands.

"No one. Put down the gun." I say.

"No! Tell me who you are now!" The young girl takes one hostile step towards me with menacing eyes.

I want to make sure things don't escalate. "Faye. I am not one of them. I promise." I declare.

"Please don't shoot, we're friendly." Teddy exclaims.

The young girl looks thoughtful and for moment, everything is silent and tensed. Then she lowers the handgun. "You better be telling the truth." she warns.

She puts the gun into her back pocket. I exhale, relieved.

Teddy is tentative, but she asks the young girl's questions. "What's your name?" She falters. I glance at Teddy with worry in my heart. She doesn't look nor sound like her old self. She's sullen and quiet now. I feel guilty for all of this.

"Scarlett." Scarlett leans on the wall with her arms crossed. She doesn't even look Teddy in the eyes.

I hear more of the guards marching around the area, but they do not approach the building. I decide to wait and make small talk with Scarlett until things settle down. Scarlett watches me and Teddy with great cautious and distrust. I sit on the floor to show her I'm harmless.

"Don't worry, we're not going to do anything. Why are you in this building?" I say.

Scarlett shows me her sharp tongue. "Because I am."

Teddy asks a question next. "How old are you?"

"Ten." My heart sinks.

"You're really young to be here by yourself." I comment.

Scarlett roll her eyes. "You're young too."

I suppress the urge to roll my eyes back at her. "I know, but where's your parents?"

"None of your business." Scarlett snaps. I give Scarlett a offended scowl.

Teddy quickly changes the subject. "Is this place safe?" She inquires.

Scarlett gives her a reassuring nod. "Yes. I've been in here for hours. I snuck in here when a lot of Clickers showed up. The forest is full of them right now. There's food, water, and some spare bullets all over this place. No one ever checks this place, I think they think it's empty."

I lean on the wall, exhausted and drained. "Good." I sigh. "We're going to stay here until the guards stop looking for us."

"But what about Daphne?" Teddy cry.

"We will get to her. I promise. We just have to wait for the things to cool down." I reason.

Teddy becomes quiet and sits on the floor, her eyes are glued to the gun. Scarlett stays a fair distance away from us, the building is large and wide full of staircases and rooms. I close my eyes to rest my exhausted soul and I dream of nothing.

 _25 will come out. Next chapter will deal with Faye, Teddy, and the new character, Scarlett to escape the Settlement. Please leave reviews and thoughts._


	25. The Night Escape

25.

Scarlett watches me and Teddy from the top of the staircase. It is early in the morning and the guards are still searching for me and Teddy for Blake's death. It's not like they think we did it, but the guards did see us with him before he died.

I'm worried sick about Daphne. I can only hope her condition will improve. On the bright side, I still have the penicillin for her and Daphne is safe. I glance at Teddy. She is sitting by herself in a corner far away from me. Her knees are up to her chin, tears running down her cheeks. I miss her motor mouth so much. I can't stop thinking about her killing Blake. She saved me, but she probably didn't save her innocence. Scarlett is silent and distant, she gives me suspicious glares from time and time. I don't care honestly, I am deeply worried about Teddy and how we are going to escape this hellhole.

Maybe I should just take a risk and kill all of them? No. I'll die and Teddy could die too. I decide that sneaking out of this place is a good idea. Now I am waiting for nighttime. I look at Teddy again and make my way to her. I make sure I'm gentle and soft spoken when I approach her. "Ted, are you okay?" I whisper.

Teddy takes time to stir, she's limp and deep in a self induced trance. Her face is red and her eyes are puffy. It hurts me to see such a innocent flower wilt like this. Teddy doesn't answer my question. I glance up at Scarlett. She has a open can of beans in her possession, she is paying no attention to me or Teddy as she snacks on her can of beans. I decide to talk to her, she's been here for a while. Maybe she knows this area better than me. I walk away from Teddy and leave her be and make my way to Scarlett.

When she sees me, she glares at me and frowns. "What do you want?" She demands sharply.

"I want to know how to get out of here. We're leaving at night and we need to know where the exit is." I explain.

Scarlett looks at me with a impudent expression. "There are guards there too. There are guards everywhere in this place."

"Well how did you get in? Do you live here?"

Scarlett rolls her eyes. "Why do you care?"

I struggle to keep my cool. "Because I asked." I snap.

Scarlett eats the rest of her beans and places the can right next to her. "It doesn't matter, let's just say that things went bad and now I'm here."

I insist. "Scarlett, do you know this area? Please, tell me."

"No. I don't." Scarlett exclaims. The muffling sounds of Teddy's crying echoes through the building. Scarlett's attention is seized for a moment. Her stiff eyes softens. "Is she okay?" She asks me.

I don't lie. "No," I feel tears swell up in my eyes. "She's not okay."

Scarlett is hesitant. "Umm…..why?" Scarlett inquires.

I'm quiet for a short moment. But I see no reason not to tell. "She killed a man. A man who tried to kill us." It's so surreal to talk about it.

Scarlett's eyes widens and she looks at Teddy with an odd look in her eyes. She is silent, unsure of what to say. Then Scarlett suddenly clears up her throat and speaks. "What happened exactly?"

I sit next to Scarlett. It's nice to talk with someone new. I feel better releasing everything. "Well, my friend got sick and me and Teddy went out to get help. We ran into this guy and he helped us for a while. Then he turned out to be raider and tried to kill us. He was attacking me and Teddy killed him." I elucidate. "It happened so fast."

"So now the guards are after you two for his death." Scarlett concludes.

"Unfortunately." I confirm.

It is quiet for a long time. Then Scarlett breaks the silence. "Teddy will take time. She needs a lot of support and comfort. But for now, I guess you should give her space." I'm so shocked by the youthful wisdom coming out this ten years old's mouth. I wonder about her backstory. She's so young, near my age, but she is mature and levelheaded. It's odd. I glance at Teddy and ponder about her future. She's traumatized from this horrible event. She's probably regretting everything that happened. I'm sure she longs for her parents' loving arms. How will this affect her? Will she become weak and broken? Or cold and hardened? I personally want neither for Teddy. I gather up kind words in my mind and imagine myself lifting up my Teddy's spirits. But for now, I will follow Scarlett's advice.

I appreciate the advice. "Thanks." I whisper.

"So is Teddy your sister?" Scarlett inquires.

I shake my head. "No. I'm taking care of her until we can find her parents."

Scarlett raises an eyebrow. "What happened to her parents?"

I lie. "They left."

Scarlett looks at the floor, before looking at me again. "I hope you find them."

"Me too." I am curious about Scarlett's past. "What about you?"

Scarlett is quiet for a moment, then she opens up to me. "My parents aren't around." I can feel the pain in her voice. I regret asking.

"Sorry, Scarlett." I say.

Scarlett shrugs her shoulders. "It's okay. You didn't know, Faye." Scarlett gets up and changes the subject. "There's plenty of clothes and resources here." Scarlett crosses her arms and avoids eye contacts and walks off.

"Thanks." I say as she departures.

I decide to return to Teddy, Red and C-101 is on my mind. I miss them so much, Red could kill almost everyone here. I regret not inviting her along. I'm not sure why I miss C-101, I mean, he's useless in a fight, combat wise. I make my way to Teddy and think of kind words to muster. She looks pale as paper, her face is contorted with heavy emotions. Her sniveling makes me feel hatred for myself. What type of guardian am I?

When I approach her, Teddy makes it certain she wants to be alone. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" Her hysterical voice makes me jerk. It is random and tense, I stop in my tracks and Teddy begins to sob harder. Scarlett can obviously hear the commotion and shouts out. "Let her be for now. She needs space." Personally, I want to comfort Teddy with all the love and affection in the world, but perhaps she does need space. I don't know.

But I refuse to leave her completely alone. I am going to be there for her when she needs me. I use all of my will to pull myself away from her now and I go looking for the resources I was told about. I wonder how Red and C-101 are doing. C-101 is probably pissed at me for abandoning them. I focus on the crate of clothes I find the building, I pick out a pale yellow jacket for Teddy. It's her size and looks adorable. I find more clothes for myself, Teddy, and Daphne.

I leave Teddy for a long time, simply to give her space. Hours passes and it becomes dark. I finally muster up the courage to get ready to escape. I wander the building aimlessly, searching for bullets or knives or any kind of weapon I could use. I find a pocket knife, but that's it.

"Faye…" Teddy croaks weakly. I am at her side at once. Her eyes are puffy and red, her skin is sickly pale, she looks terrible.

"Are you okay?" I asks.

Teddy is quiet for a moment, she speaks haltingly. "I feel really sick. I feel like I'm going to throw up."

I put a comforting arm around her. "It's okay. You did the right thing."

Teddy's eyes quivers. "What?"

I elucidate. "Blake was dangerous, you were just defending me and you."

Teddy shakes her head. "No...but I….killed him…" Tears of terror flow down her cheeks.

I think of C-101 and I remember what he said to me on our first mission. You're a killer, Red's a killer, the Fireflies are killers. Winters is a killer, everyone is a killer. The ones that don't kill are dead. You think this is a fairy tale? This is real life. We live in a world that is infected. A world where you must kill. Happy endings doesn't exist, not for us, not for anyone.

"Look, Ted, you did that out of self defense. Blake was trying to kill us because he's a bad guy." I look her straight in the eyes, my voice is strict, but my eyes are gentle. "Do you understand?"

Teddy lowers her eyes to the floor, she is refusing to look me in the eyes. She is deep in thought, her little mind is strained. She remains quiet.

I change the subject, not wanting to pressing her anymore. "We are leaving tonight." I say.

Teddy looks up at me, still silent.

I continue. "When it's dark, we can sneak out and get out of here."

Teddy sniffles and glances around. "What about Scarlett?" That makes me think. C-101 will go crazy if I bring another mouth to feed. Even though I like Scarlett, I have no reason to letting her tag along. Teddy and Daphne are my responsibilities, I think about the medicine in the bag I possess. I wonder how Daphne's condition is, is she better or worse? I can only hope things will start looking up.

…..

Teddy lays her head on my lap as she slumbers. I stay awake, planning our escape from this hellhole. I hear no one outside, but I am paranoid that the guards are purposely being silent to jump us. I am going to wake up Teddy very soon. Scarlett is minding herself, not fazed by me or Teddy's presence there. I think that she knows we are going to leave her here, I never told her, but I have a sense that she just knows. I start thinking on how to prepare Teddy for survival, Scarlett is focused in my mind. She has a gun and her hair is cut very short so nothing to grab it. I examine Teddy's hair, it's long and straight. Anyone or anything could grab her. Teddy is quick and athletic, she has much potential to survive. She's armed and she's nimble. I decide to cut her hair. I shake Teddy awake. Teddy stirs with drowsy eyes.

"I'm going to cut your hair." I say bluntly. Teddy's eyes widen with horror. "But I like my hair." She complains.

"I need to cut it so nothing can grab you."

Teddy shakes her head. "No, I can run and hide." She argues. I make sure my voice is strict. "Teddy, I'm going to cut your hair, it is for your safety."

Teddy looks like she wants to protest, but then she appears thoughtful. "Are you trying to make me look like Scarlett?"

I'm glad that Teddy seems to partially understand. I nod and I tell her to stay where she is as I go look for something sharp. I walk away from her and I scavenge the place for scissors, but nothing. So I decide to settle for a sharp piece of shattered glass I found on the floor. I head back to Teddy and I tell her to sit still. Her expression is stiff, I wish I could see what's inside her head. She is no longer crying, she looks like her old self, minus the energy and smiles. I make myself focus. I need to focus on Teddy's safety. I'm behind Teddy and grabbed a handful of her hair. I begin to cut chunks of Teddy's hair piece by piece. Her charcoal hair falls on the floor. I cut Teddy's hair until her hair appears boyish. I decide that's safe enough. Teddy runs her fingers through her freshly new haircut, then she sighed in dismay.

I reassure her. "You look cute, don't pout."

Teddy stays quiet and frowns.

"So what about Scarlett? Is she coming?" Teddy asks.

"No. We need to focus on going to our group."

Teddy nods her head and changes the subject quickly. "What are we going to do?" She asks.

"We're going to sneak out, the guards can't see us. Then we will go into the woods and get back to the group."

"Gotta it. I miss Daphne." Teddy laments.

"Me too." I say.

We stop talking after that. Scarlett is minding herself, me and Teddy prepare to leave. When me and Teddy are completely ready, I arm myself with a gun and a knife and I order Teddy to stay close to me. Teddy carries the backpack full of our possessions.

"Goodbye, stay safe." Scarlett calls out as we pass by her.

"Thanks." I reply.

With that, I head to the window we entered and I made sure I'm quiet as mouse. I take slow steps and cautiously slip myself through the window. I look around, it is dimly light and there is no soul in the area. I think the guards gave up the search, but I'm still on my guard.

Teddy comes out next, she's moving slowly and quietly as she can. Once she's out completely, we go.

We make sure to stick to the walls, we avoid windows and peek around corners. Teddy stays behind me, following me like a shadow.

It is dimly lit, I listen to the noisy clickets. I see no one.

"Where's the exit?" Teddy whispers.

I don't answer her, instead I scan the area for it. Eventually I find it. Not the exit, but something better. The hole in the wall.

I hear muffled voices of the guards, but I tell they are far away.

"Stay close and be quiet." I order.

With that, we move in unison. We walk slowly, our heads darting sides to sides. No one sees us and we can't see anyone. I feel unsafe and uneasy, I feel like something terrible is going to happen deep inside my gut. We are closer to the hole, closer, closer. Then finally we are free.

Me and Teddy run. We don't look behind us, we don't even look at each other. We just run.

 ** _Next chapter will come soon. I do apologize my absence on writing. My internet connection has been very poor and I has also developed writer's blocks here and there. But now I will return to my writing the best I can. Please give reviews and thoughts. I have decided against making Scarlett a main character. I am thinking of ways to develop Teddy's character. When I write this story, I obviously think of Clementine or Ellie. But I want Teddy to have her own character._**

 ** _Thank you for reading my story._**


	26. The Hurricane

We continue to run until we can't running anymore. Me and Teddy become exhausted and stop. My lungs feels tight and hard. I gasps for air, fearing that I will lose my ability to breathe properly. Teddy leans on a tree, trying to catch her breath. She looked drained and weary like me.

"Ted, are you okay?" I ask.

Teddy gives me a silent nod.

We catch our breaths after a few minutes and we began to walk through the thick forest. I hear no Infecteds, but I keep my guard up.

We walk for hours and hours. My legs is stinging with sharp pain, I feel like I'm going to fall over out of exhaustion.

We are far away from our cabin's location. It is nighttime and we are still not at the cabin. Teddy and I decide to camp out for the night. I become hungry and pull out the cans of food I received from the settlement. I give Teddy her own can of beans and I give myself one too.

Teddy is quiet as a mouse. Teddy makes a fire. We huddles around it and eat our small meal.

"Ted, are you okay?" I ask.

Teddy doesn't give me a vocal answer and nods. At that moment, Teddy reminds me of a puzzle. I played with puzzles with Harlow when I lived with the Yeagers. I had such a difficult time trying to put everything together and would become frustrated. Harlow roams within my mind, she was basically my first "Teddy" in a sense. I wonder how she is right now. Is she hardened or is she soft and sweet as before? I will never know.

I fear Teddy will slip into a void of unhappiness and bleakness. The poor child has seen and done so much. I want Teddy to be strong and independent. I need her to survive. As I eat, I remember my past. I feel like I'm dreaming, it is hard to believe I'm free and out in the open. I thought that I would be with the Fireflies for the rest of my life. But I'm not. My new experiences has given me the feelings of optimism. I glance at Teddy, she eats slowly.

"Why did my parents leave?" Teddy's voice makes me jerk because it is sudden.

"Why…..why...are you asking that?" I stutter, taken off guard.

Teddy gives me a annoyed look. As if I was stupid. "I want to know where my parents are!" She elucidates.

I make sure my voice is gentle and soft. "I don't know. But they will be back." I lie. I force out a deceiving smile.

Teddy narrows her eyes and becomes upset. "That's not true!" She protests. My heart jerks. Why is Teddy acting like this? She has trusted my words for a long time, so why is she doubting me now?

Teddy continues to speak. She puts down her can and glares at me. "My Mommy and Daddy would never leave me. They would have told me, they were leaving." I think of the letter and the gory inside that house.

"Teddy, I promise, your parents are okay, we will find them, I promise." I continue to lie through my teeth.

"How do you know?" Teddy argues.

I am curt. "I just do. Now calm down, yelling at me will not help."

Teddy gets up with a angry huff, she looks like she wants to throw a tantrum. She doesn't, instead her face becomes red and she kicks the can of beans out of frustration with a short lived scream.

"TEDDY! ENOUGH! CALM DOWN!" I order, raising my voice.

Teddy jumps up and down, angry tears running down her face. "I want my Mommy and Daddy! I want to go home!"

I remain strict. "Calm down. Sit down." I order. Teddy stops jumping and breathes heavily. She mumbles things I ignore under her breath. Exhausted, she sits down and curls up into a ball with her head tucked. She sobs to herself.

I have no idea of how to deal with Teddy's behavior. So I resolved to be patient and strict.

"You know better than this, Teddy! Acting like this does nothing." I rebuke. Teddy mutters something foul under her breath. I decide to ignore it and I stop speaking to Teddy. I give her space and silence.

The next morning, me and Teddy barely speak to each other. We walk side by side together for hours and hours. My legs ache with pain, but I push on. Teddy hardly looks me in the eyes, she doesn't appear angry or upset. She stares at the ground with an expression I can't read. I become exhausted and breathless. I feel dizzy and lightheaded from the walking. I hear slight commotion in the distance, but I ignore it.

"INFECTED!" Teddy screams. I stop in my tracks and spin around to the screeching of a Runner charging towards us. I get in front of Teddy and aim my loaded gun and fired instantly. I'm a fairly good shot, I manage to hit him in the chest, the shoulder, and finally his head. The headshot is a fatal shot and the Runner falls dead to the ground. I can hear more and I'm not willing to take risks. I grabs Teddy's wrist and we bolt. Runners are on our tails, Teddy picks up speed, huffing and gasping for air. My heart feels like it is going to burst out of my chest at any moment.

The Runners's grunts and screams pierces my ears. They are feets away from us, but yet they sound like they're inches away.

"FAYE!" Teddy shrieks at me. I ignore her and we take a sharp turn. "FAYE! LOOK!" Teddy shrieks feverishly.

I continue to ignore her. "KEEP RUNNING!" I yell.

"I AM!" Teddy shrieks between her gasps. "I SEE...I SEE A HOUSE! LOOK!" Still running, Teddy points to the far left, I follow her finger and I do see a house in the distance.

"WE NEED TO GO THERE!" Teddy exclaims.

Silently, I agree. But I'm focused on the Runners. "We need to lose them first!" We manage to put good distances away from us, but they are still near. I look up at the sky and I want to scream out of frustration at the

Teddy is huffing, her face is beet red. "Trees! Climb a tree, hurry!" She cries. With that, Teddy yanks her hand away from me, with a burst of energy, she darts towards the first tree she lays eyes on. I run towards the same tree with my heart thundering in my chest. Teddy is quite nimble. She climbs the tree with ease and quickness. I have never climbed a tree before. I dig my nails into the tree and attempt to raise myself up, but to no avail. "HURRY!" Teddy barks.

"I AM!" I use all of my energy to pull myself up. But I barely get an inch. "FAYE, THEY'RE COMING!" Teddy wails.

Teddy's eyes are wide with tension and dread. I hear the Runners and adrenaline floods my body. I find the strength, I get a good grip on the skin of the tree and I pull myself up. I feel so light. Hastily, I pull myself to the closest branch and I plant myself on to it.

"FAYE! ARE YOU OKAY?" Teddy is above me. Her voice is strained and hysterical. She begins to hyperventilate. I look at her, she looks terrible and exhausted. It worries me to see her like this. Teddy is young, but yet must experience so much anguish.

"I'm fine." I remain calm, keeping my voice soft and precise. "Calm down, breathe slowly." The Runners are at the tree now, scratching and digging their nails into the skin of the tree. My anxiety smoothen and I focus on Teddy. She is following my orders the best she can. Teddy takes rapid gasps, trying to breathe slowly.

"Just stay calm." I tell her. "We're fine. They can't climb, remember?"

Teddy nods her head and takes in slow breaths to ease her anxiety. The Infecteds surrounds and swarms the tree for a full hour.

Eventually the Infecteds lose interest in us and they all scatter away.

I am exhausted. I feel all of my energy leave my body. I use my remaining strength to dig my nails into the branch.

"HEY!" I hear a male voice. I turn my head towards it. I see a young man. I think of Blake. He is tall with a chiseled face. He has black hair and dark eyes. In his arms was a shotgun. I imagine him shooting us. I am too weak to move at this point.

"You kids okay?" He asks us. Teddy simply stares at him. I glance at her and I believe she is thinking about Blake.

"Don't be scared. I'm friendly. I just want to help. I saw you two running away from those monsters." The man walks towards the tree. There is no malice or negativity in his voice. He sounds like he does want to help us. Our silence seems be to making him uneasy though.

"Um….do you girls need help?" He asks unsure.

Then I hear another man's voice. "John, what the fuck are you doing?" A man appears in my view and he hurry towards the other man with a shotgun. He is bald and skinny, he wears a fur coat and fur boots.

"I'm trying to help these kids." John confesses. "Give me a break, Walter."

Walter's face turns red and he gives John a hard smack on the back. "Boy, you could have gotten your ass killed! Why the fuck did you run off without telling me?"

"I want to help them." John insist. "Come on, that storm is coming!"

Walter's face softens. "Fine. But next time, tell me when you're going to do some dumb shit."

John agrees.

I'm not sure what to think of this situation. I think about the Yeagers family. I miss Nick.

John and Walter surrounds the tree. John calls out to Teddy. "Little girl, come down. Don't worry, we want to help."

Teddy is quiet for a long time, she appears thoughtful and cautious. "Who are you?" She asks, her voice is stiff and direct.

"John." John answers. He points to Walter. "This is my Uncle, Walter."

"Where do you guys live?" I squeak.

Walter points in the direction of the house we saw earlier. "We have everything you need."

Me and Teddy exchanges looks. I distrust these people. But I have no idea on what to do at this point. We're lost, we're tired, and everything is a mess right now. I climb out of the tree first and Teddy makes her way down afterwards. Then we all walk. Teddy is silent, she stays close to me and holds my hand for protection. Both of the men's backs are to us, but I don't plan to attack them. Yet.

…..

The house is two stories and wide. Next to the house is a fair sized boat. I think nothing of it and I wish to get warm. The house is amazing to look at. It is made of stone and appears sturdy. It has functioning lights and candles to light up the place. John lets me and Teddy in. Walter suddenly stops me and Teddy from entering. "Wait!" He cry. I bare my teeth, ready to rip this man's throat out. Teddy gets behind me immediately. "Wipe your feet on the mat, please. Janice will kick my ass if I get dirt on her floors." With that, Walter steps on the doormat and gets all of the dirt off of his shoes before entering the living room. We do the same.

The insides of the house is tastefully designed. The windows and floors were polished. There is a wide living room with plush carpets, there is a beautiful kitchen with clean dishes and shiny counters. I have never seen a place so nice and tidy.

John gives us a tour of the house. "We have plenty of rooms for you girls. Do you want to share a room or be separate?"

"We're not staying here for long." I snap.

John's eyes widen. "I know, but you still need a room.."

I feel bad for snapping at him like that, but I don't show it. "Share." I say curt.

John is quick to move on and he smiles. "Good." Then he takes us upstairs and escorts us to a large bedroom. A bedroom with a bunk bed and two drab dressers.

"Thank you." Teddy says sweetly.

John smiles in return. "Janice will fix up dinner in alittle bit."

"Who is that?" Teddy inquires.

"A good friend of ours. She is really nice and a great cook." John answers.

Then John leaves us in there.

I am so conflicted. I will never understand compassion. I have been show kindness so many times only for it to backfire in my face. I do not trust these people, but I don't have the desire to hurt them in anyway.

Me and Teddy get settled and wait for dinner. It is nighttime, when we finally meet Janice. John calls us downstairs and we arrive at the dinner table.

"Hello, my name is Janice." The woman extends out her hand to me. She was a middle aged woman in her late 40s. She has pale skin and brown eyes, She has dirty blonde hair and a round face.

I shake her hand. "I'm Faye." I force out a sweet smile.

Janice extends her hand to Teddy and Teddy shakes it quickly. "My name is Teddy." Janice beams. "You are such a beautiful young lady." Janice gushes.

"Thanks." Teddy smiles. A clap of thunder shakes the house. The rain is now heavier than before, I turn my head to look out the nearest window, I see trees being violently swayed by rapid winds.

"Don't worry, Faye. This house is sturdy enough for storms." Janice reassures.

Teddy appears worried. "Do you think our cabin is okay?" She asks me.

I lie. "Of course." To be honest, I have no idea of knowing. I can only hope the others are safe.

"Looks like a hurricane to me. Probably a flood is coming next." Walter suggest.

"WALTER! Enough, you're scaring the children." Janice rebukes. Walter shuts up after that. John chuckles amused. "Whipped." He croaks out.

Then Janice serves us dinner. Corn, beans, potatoes, rice, and a loaf of beard. I am ravenous and I dig in. The food is delicious and well done.

"This meal is amazing, Janice." Walter compliments. Janice flashes him a broad smile. Outside Walter's comment become reality. I look outside out of curiosity to see rapid streams of dirty water rushing around us. Teddy gasps in horror.

"Damn, flash flood." Walter mutters.

"Well, um...you girls aren't going anywhere anytime soon." John says.

"No! Daphne! She needs her medicine. She's sick! She needs our help!" Teddy wails.

"Calm down, Ted." I whisper, I put a warm hand on her shoulder to calm her down. I'm afraid for Daphne and the others as well, but I did not like seeing Teddy acting hysterical.

John and Walter are unsettled by Teddy's change in behavior, but did not say anything. I am upset by this entire situation. I can only hope Daphne is okay. Perhaps she's healing without the meds. Maybe. I can only hope. I feel like the world is mocking me again. But there's nothing I can do now. After I finish my meal, I escort Teddy upstairs.

"What about Daphne? What about Xander? Red?" Teddy inquires.

"Teddy, trust me. I'm worried too. But we just need to be patient. Everything will be fine." I open the door and we head into our bedroom. Janice seems to be correct on the firmness of the house, flooding water makes the forest look like a large lake. The water is deep and rough. The powerful gusts blows debris into the air.

"HELP!" I hear a sharp cry from outside. It is close to the house. I look outside and I see a young girl and a woman clinging to a lone tree branch as they are being swept away in the flood. "PLEASE! HELP!" The girl and the woman are close to the house, when they miraculously bump into a nearby tree that is struggling to stay planted.

"WALTER, GET YOUR BOAT!" I hear John yell at the top of his lungs. Then I hear heavy footsteps downstairs. I look outside, the tree branch is pressed against the other tree, I can barely see the girl through the window as the rain and fog is making it difficult.

Teddy is looking out of another window nearby and I go to that one. I see through the window slightly better. The two are still clinging to the branch for dear life, the woman appears sickly pale and limp. The girl is screaming and struggling to not sink into the deep, rapid water. The rough waves are not helpful, the two are hit many times, at one point, the girl loses her grip and slips under for a few seconds, then she pops back up, gasping for air.

Teddy gasps. "Faye, look!" Then I see Walter and John on their boat, they sail near the two and is able to scoop them up one by one. Then the boat sails back to the house.

Teddy begins to make her way downstairs and I follow her. "You think they're okay?" Teddy asks me.

I shrug. "Hopefully." We make it towards the first step of the stairs to see Janice hastily opening the front door to let in Walter and John inside. John carries in the shivering, soaked girl and Walter carries the pale looking woman. I get a better look at them. The young girl looks near my age, she is taller Daphne and Teddy, but one foot shorter than me. She has dark brown hair that is tied into a unkempt single, side braid. She is skinny and slender. Her eyes were bright blue. She reminds me of Alexa and Scarlett. The girl is wearing a purple long sleeves shirt and blue jeans. She has small scar on her forehead that looks somewhat fresh. I get closer to them and I see the woman is severely wounded. Her arms has deep gashes and the side of her head is a soaked with blood. The woman looks to be in her late 30s, she has tan skin, her black hair is tied into a ponytail, and her eyes are narrow and dark. She appears malnourished and thin. Janice disappears into a nearby room and returns with thick blankets.

Janice lays the blankets on each of them. The woman is unconscious. The young girl is slipping in and out of consciousness.

"We should check them for bites." Walter suggests.

Janice shakes her head. "Later, these two need rest and a warm bed." Janice declares.

John comes to Walter. "Walt is right, we should check them first."

Janice points a finger upstairs. "Put them to bed first." She insist. They obey her and me and Teddy watches in silence as the men carry the two upstairs and into a bedroom.

Janice stays behind and prepares to make soup for the two new "guests."

"Can I help?" Teddy asks.

Janice smiles and allows Teddy to help her. Teddy convinces me to join them. I think of the girl and the woman. Are they infected? That thought frightens me. I ponder about the woman. Why did she have so many wounds on her? Is she dying? This is a bizarre event for me. And that's saying something.

I clear the dinner table and give the dishes to Teddy. Janice chops up vegetables and puts them into a boiling pot. Once she is done, Janice pours the soup into two separate bowls and orders me and Teddy to give it to them.

We scurry with the warm bowls upstairs and into the two's bedroom. Walter is tucking in the young girl who is now alert and is staring directly at the woman. John does the same to the woman, but doesn't put the blankets on her wounded arms.

"We brought food for you." Teddy says.

"SHHH!" Walter hushes. "Not so loud." Ironically he is loud when he is saying this.

Despite the irony, Teddy becomes quiet and we place the bowls onto a nearby dresser.

"Hi, kid." John asks the young girl. "What happened? You think you'll make it?"

The young girl is too weak to speak right now and nods her head.

"Let her rest, first." Walter rebukes.

"Are they infected?" I inquire.

Walter shakes his head. "They're fine. I looked at them. No bites."

John turns to us. "It's late. You two should go to bed."

Teddy opens her mouth to protest, but I grab her wrist and interrupt her. "Good idea." Then I drag Teddy out the door, head into our bedroom and sleep.

…...

The storm is still raging when we wake up the next morning. It is early in the morning, when I am about to wake up Teddy. Then I hear muffled voices, curious, I exit the room and I discover that the woman is awake and alert. Walter, John, and Janice gather around her, trying to get enough information as possible from her.

The young girl is soundly asleep.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. We're good people." Janice reassures her.

"What's your name?" John asks.

"Sarah." Her voice is strained and shaky.

"Well do you remember what happened?" John probes.

Sarah goes into a sudden coughing fit, Janice gives her a helpful pat on the back, until Sarah stops coughing.

"So what happened?" John repeats.

"We got lost. We were camping out in the forest when the storm hit."

"Were you two heading somewhere particular?" Walter asks. "I'm asking because there's nothing but Infecteds and trees around here." He quickly adds.

"A Firefly base in Canada." Sarah sighs. My heart jumps when I hear "firefly" and I think of Winters. I push my thoughts back into my mind.

Walter nods. "So what happened to you?"

"I got attacked by some raiders. Laura and I barely escaped them." Sarah answers.

"That explains that scar on her head." John expresses.

Sarah shakes her head. "No. That was from way later. Laura and I got attacked by someone and she suffered a head injury." She corrects.

Janice gives her a compassionate look. "God bless you." She mutters. "Is she functioning well?"

Sarah releases a heavy sign of exhaustion. "Partially. She developed amnesia from that injury."

Janice's eyes widen. "She doesn't remember anything?"

"She knows her name, her age, and events that happened to us before she suffered the injury, but she can't remember much of anything after that. I'm watching over for her as long as I can." Sarah explains.

"Her memories will come back eventually." John reassures her.

Sarah continues. "Thank you for helping us. Laura and I have been together a lot since we first traveled. But once this storm passes, we need to go immediately."

"Well, you'll have to wait a long time," Walter sees me and Teddy standing the doorway. "These two have the same issue."

Sarah glances at us and forces out a weak smile. "Hello, girls. I am Sarah."

Teddy opens her mouth to say something when Walter interrupts her. "Why are you heading to Canada? You are six states away from the Canadian border." Walter probes.

Canada? What's Canada? I have never heard of that word before until now.

"There's a base there, where we will be safe. We must go to it." Sarah says urgently.

Sarah sits up and rigids with pain. "OH!" She shrieks in agony. Janice gently pushes her back down. "Do not strain yourself, Miss. You need rest."

I decide to leave the room at this point. Hearing the word "Firefly" makes me feel uneasy. It brings back dreadful memories of my past. As I pace back to my bedroom, I think to myself, I am a mixture of emotions. I'm worried for my group. Red, Daphne, and yes, even that bastard, C-101. What if they got washed away in the hurricane? I wonder about Red and C-101. I know that they can't swim. I can't. None of us were taught, none did we ever had a chance to leap into a body of water anyway. I worry about Daphne. Poor girl. Sick, far away from her loved ones, and now struck in a hurricane. My mind becomes wild, beyond my control. I imagine Daphne's lifeless body drifting in the flooding water. I see Red and C-101 screaming as they drown, their healing ability unable to save them. I am able to push myself out of my thoughts and return back to the room.

"Faye, are you okay?" Teddy is already up when I enter the room.

I flash her a false smile. "Of course."

Teddy is not convinced. I can see her doubt in her expression. "I hope the others are okay. Maybe they can swim."

At that moment, I feel a pang of relief. Finally Teddy's cheerfulness is back. I still fear that her experience with Blake would change her drastically. But at the same time, I can't predict the future.

I look out the window to see the world full of chao. The storm is still raging on, the lights begin to flickering on and off.

"We should go down for breakfast." Teddy suggests. I agree and we go.

 _Next chapter will be up. Hopefully this is a good one. Thank you and please give reviews._


	27. An Old Name

The storm lasts for two days. When it finally ended, it takes two more days for the water of the flood to soak into the Earth. Once it does, the new appearance of the forest shows the destruction of the hurricane in great detail. The soil is muddy and murky, the majority of the trees are broken and cleansed of their leaves, there are new lakes and ponds in places where patches of land use to be.

I still worry about my allies. I wonder if they survived. I wonder if the cabin is still standing. Will me and Teddy be able to find it? I am so conflicted and clueless. But I keep a stone face for Teddy. I know Teddy is terrified of our group's fate and I don't want to make it worse.

It is after breakfast when me and Teddy are in the bedroom we share when we hear a hacking coughing coming from Sarah. She was still in critical condition and was unable to move from her bed. Laura, the young girl with her, is alert and awake. She seems very mistrustful, she keeps her distance from everyone. She speaks very little and is generally in a daze. She was still healing from the effects, she didn't move much and Janice would keep her in bed. She is now moving around, but Janice makes sure she doesn't move too much. Janice would bring her food and water, pampering her with compassion.

I hear a knock at the door. "Faye, Sarah wants you." John opens the door.

My eyes widens in confusion. "Why?"

John shrugs. "No idea, but she really wants to see you." John explains.

I glance at Teddy. Teddy looks directly at John. "Is she doing okay?" Teddy inquire. "I heard her coughing."

John smiles. "She's fine, kiddo. I promise," I can tell he is lying to reassure Teddy. I have gotten good at detecting lying at this point. Teddy doesn't appear convinced, but she becomes quiet.

John beckons me into the hallway. I glance at Teddy. "I'll be right back." I say, then I exit the room.

I enter the bedroom, Laura is up and is downstairs, eating a meal Janice made for her. Sarah lies in bed, her skin is pale as a paper. Janice has been nursing Sarah the best she could. Sarah has graze wrapped around her head and on her arms. On the nightstand there is a opened First Aid kit. But Sarah didn't look like she was healing from her wounds.

Sarah is awake, although she looks like she's going to faint at any moment. "Faye, I need to tell you something." Her voice was weak and hoarse.

I take a step closer to this strange woman. I really just want to go back to Teddy.

"Faye, I know who you are,"

"Excuse me?" I say, raising an eyebrow.

"You're Mucker's creation." Sarah elucidates.

My eyes widen in shock and confusion. This is my first time meeting this woman. How does she know who I am? I am quiet, unsure of what to think.

"I have seen you, I was a friend of Mucker. I worked with him for many years before I left. I know Winters as well, I worked for him for a long time." Sarah explains. I suddenly feel a pang of annoyance. I want to leave now. I didn't want to remember Winters or anything about my past.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" I demand.

"Because I need your help." Sarah pleads. I only look at her. "I need to get Laura to Canada. But I just can't see myself taking her there. I can't protect her. From what I heard, you, R-100, and C-101 escaped together…" I cut her off.

"I don't know where the other two are." I say harshly.

"I simply ask you to do me a favor." Sarah begs. "Please."

I shake my head. Anger and frustration piles up inside of me. I am just upset at everything. I just want a break. "No. I don't even know you. I am not going to take some girl I don't even know to Canada! I don't even know what Canada is! No." I object.

Sarah looks like she is on the verge of tears. "Faye, please, hear me out. Laura needs to get to Canada. You're capable of helping her. I'm not asking you to take her to Canada, I am asking you to take her to the nearest Quarantine Zone." She explains softly. "To find a smuggler."

I lose interest in the conservation and I turn to leave. Sarah raises her voice. 'WAIT!" She cry. I can hear the pain in her voice, I turn around to see her flinching in agony.

"Stop moving around." I tell her.

Sarah lies still. "Faye. Please, just think about it. You could live in that Quarantine Zone. Think about all of the food and resources you'll get there. Please, just find the smuggler."

I think about Sarah's words about the Quarantine Zone. I think of Daphne and Teddy. They need a home. From what I know about the Zones is that they provide homes for people there, they train children in a military style fashion, and they are generally safe from infected. That's all I know about the Zones.

I imagine Teddy and Daphne in a new warm home, a permanent one. I imagine them interacting with other children, I imagine them having food and water without the need of looking for it. A quarantine Zone would be perfect for them.

Even though I want nothing to do with this woman or the girl, I am tempted by the idea of the Quarantine Zone.

"What smuggler? A specific one or a random one?" I ask.

Sarah coughs. "A specific one. His name is…" Sarah groans in pain and is quiet for a short moment. "Sorry, my mind slipped." She croaks.

I wait for her answer.

"His name is Felix Yeager. He lives in a Quarantine Zone not far from here. Just a one state away. He's a good hunter and smuggler." Sarah explains.

The room is silent, so silent you could hear a pin drop. My heart pounds in my chest. I find myself in a self induced trance. Memories and thoughts zoom through my mind. I am speechless. _Felix…..that Felix…..no….no….Felix left years ago…._ I still remember the day he abandoned me, leaving me to be tortured by Winters for several long years. I feel resentment and bitterness when I think of him, but at the same time, I did feel relief when I hear his name.

"Felix is alive…." I mouth. I shake myself out of my trance.

"I'll do it." I tell Sarah.

Sarah is now slipping in and out of consciousness. "Thank, Faye." She whispers with a glad smile. Then she dies.

I didn't know she died at first, I'm thinking that she is sleeping. But once I exit the room, Janice checks up on Sarah and discovers her heart was not longer beating. Janice's frantic screaming alerts everyone in the house.

"She's dead!" Janice sobs brokenly. I'm in my room at this point with Teddy. Teddy glances at me with a concerned look. I can tell on her face she knows what's happening.

"Ted, you okay?" I ask. I'm expecting her to ask me questions, but she doesn't. She doesn't give me a answer at all.

I hear Laura sobbing through the thin walls. Janice is trying to comfort her through her hysterical weeping. John and Walter are the only ones that are not crying and they are consoling both of them.

I'm not sure of what to think of Laura. I do not hate her, she is simply a stranger to me. I did feel pity for her, I could hear the sorrow and grief in her crying.

But I'm adamant on keeping my word. I will take this girl to Felix. I think about Red and Xander. I hope I run into them. Being without them is so odd.

"Teddy, we are leaving soon." I tell her.

Teddy looks at me and nods her head. She is quiet as a mouse.

There is only two things I can think about that's positive; Quarantine Zone and seeing an old face again.

 _New chapter will be out soon. Reviews and thoughts._


	28. The Beginning

"Me and Teddy need to go to a Quarantine Zone." This is the first thing I say after Walter and John buries Sarah outside, they just return inside when I say this.

I'm in the kitchen with a quiet Teddy by my side. Janice and Laura is at the table, Laura is looking at the bowl of soup Janice made for her, not speaking to anyone. Janice is still weeping her heart out, her sobs softens when I talk.

John and Walter look at me like I'm crazy.

"Why?" John asks me.

"Sarah asked me to take Laura to a Quarantine Zone." I explain.

Walter sits down in a chair, weary. "Okay, first off, why in the hell would Sarah asks you to take another child to a Quarantine Zone?"

I take a deep breath and I slowly begin to explain. "Sarah knows me. She asked me to find a Zone for Laura. She told me she knows a Smuggler who can help." I make sure I'm vague.

John and Walter exchanges a look.

I glance at Laura, she is not looking at anyone, she is staring at the floor, deep in thought.

I narrow my eyes. "Sarah asked me to take you. I'm not going to take you, I'm taking you to Felix."

"Who's Felix?" John asks.

"A person I know." I say bluntly.

I become silent for a moment. Walter takes a step closer to me. "Why the hell do you know a Smuggler's name?" He demands suspiciously.

I continue to be vague. "I knew him a long time ago. He saved me."

Walter's face softens. "A Smuggler?" He echoes. "Kid, there isn't a Zone for miles. There's a Zone in the next state."

"How many Zones are there?" Teddy chimes in. Curiosity dances in her voice.

Walter appears thoughtful. "Well, I have no idea. I lived in one for awhile. But then it got overrun with Infecteds. Too many sick folks infected other citizens and everything went downhill from there. I've been on the road ever since with my nephew. Zones are kinda dying out nowadays. Some are gone because of infections, uprisings and riots from citizens, or supplies going out. Other zones are still around, but many are gone now." Walter elucidates.

Janice sniffles. "Please, everyone. Let's think about this tomorrow. It's been a horrible day, let's eat and rest and think this over." Janice suggests, her voice hoarse from her heavy sobbing.

"No!" Laura's voice echoes through the room. Her voice is tired and frustrated. "I'm leaving." With that, she makes her way to the front door.

Walter's eyes widen with shock. "Hey!" He calls out. Walter makes his way to the front door and makes it before Laura and blocks the door with his body. "You're not going anywhere, young lady!" He barks.

I take a curious step closer to the ordeal. Laura gives Walter a cold glare. "I'm going, asshole. Get out of my way!" She hiss.

Janice gasps. "Laura, we do not speak like that!" She reprimands.

Laura pays no attention to Janice. "Walter, get out of my fucking way. I am leaving!" She raises her voice angrily. She gets into a defensive stance.

Walter is not deterred by Laura's temperamental behavior. He remains to be calm. "Laura, Sarah wants you to be safe. You can cuss and scream all you want, but I'm not letting a kid get herself killed."

Laura looks like she wants to protest, but Janice interrupts her and get out of her chair. "Laura, please, take a rest. We can have a nice meal and some sleep." She offers warmly.

Janice turns to me. "Faye, you and Teddy can sleep and stay here as long as you want." She declares. Teddy smiles brightly at Janice. "Thank you." She say gratefully.

John chimes in. "What about that "Felix" guy?" John turns to me. "You still wanting to meet him?"

I nod my head. "Yes." I make my way to Laura. "Laura, Sarah wanted me to take you to a Smuggler. That's it."

Laura backs away from me with a mistrustful glare. "Who even are you?" She hiss. "I'm not going with you."

I hate this girl's tone. I think of C-101 and the word bitch comes to my mind. Granted, I can't blame her. I resolve myself to be nice as sugar. "I'm Faye." I extend out a cordial hand to Laura.

Laura still glares at me and doesn't shake my hand. She glances at Teddy. "And she? Is she your little sister?"

I open my mouth to say something, but Teddy speaks for herself. "I'm Teddy, Faye is watching over me until we can find my parents." She explains.

Laura looks at me again, studying me from head to toe. "But why you? How does Sarah know you?"

I do not want to explain. "She just does." I say curt.

"Laura, Sarah said you had a head injury. How did you get it?" Teddy inquires.

Janice gasps again, her eyes pierces into Teddy's. "Teddy, you do not ask those type of questions! Apologize!" She rebukes.

I chime in. "She's fine." I turn to Laura and make sure my voice is stern. "Sarah asked me to take you. She wants you to be smuggle to Canada. So I need to take you to the next state. That's all she told me. She never explained why."

Walter crosses his arms and appears deep in thought. "The nearest Zone is…...I wanna say….Nebraska. We're in the state of Arkansas, so…."

Laura interrupts him. "I'm sorry, but I need to go." She say bluntly. Laura turns to me. "I have no idea why Sarah asked you to help me get to Canada, me and her were heading to Colorado. I need to go to Colorado." She explains.

" The Colorado Zone is gone. Only Fireflies live there." Walter points out.

My heart jumps. "Fireflies?" I gasp.

Laura glances at me and nods. "Yes, Sarah never mentioned Canada to me. Only Colorado. She was supposed to take me to the Fireflies."

"Why the Fireflies? You do know that's a militia group, right?" John asks.

Laura has a blank look on her face. She is terse. "I just need to go there." She insists.

I shake my head confused. "No. Sarah told me that I need to take you to a Smuggler. Not a shutdown Zone."

"I don't need you to take me anywhere!" She argues.

The room is silent, Walter is still blocking the door. Janice breaks the silence. "Let them go." She declares. "John and Walter, you two need to take these girls to your destination."

John gives Janice an odd look. "Why us?"

"John, please, for Sarah's sake." She smiles warmly at Laura. "Laura, tomorrow morning, we will take you."

Laura gives Janice a confused look. "Are you serious?" She say shocked.

Janice nods. "Yes, you've been through enough. It's not fair to keep you here against your will. Sarah was a nice woman who would want you to go to the place you two were looking for."

Walter narrows his eyes. "Janice, that doesn't sound like a good idea. We barely know ANY of these girls. We can't just drop everything and just go on a road trip." He objects.

Janice narrows her eyes. "Walt, these children need to go. It's not fair to keep them here against the will. They have family and friends they need to get to. It's the right thing to do."

Walter opens his mouth to protest, but releases a weary sigh.

I put in my two cents. "I can take her alone." I say. I glance at Teddy. "I'm taking Teddy and myself there to live."

Teddy's eyes widens. "What about my parents?" Teddy demands defensively. I become silent. I forgot her parents' existence.

I think of a quick lie. "We'll find them on the way. I promise." Teddy gives me a incredulous look.

"Faye, I want to find my parents." Teddy urges. Her voice is firm with a hint of defiance. I think Teddy is slowly starting seeing through my mist of lies. I told her so many lies. But she still believe my main lie; her parents are alive. That gives her hope. I think that's what keeps her cheerful personality from completely dying out. I do wonder if she has doubt about that lie.

I ignore the crack in my heart and nods. "We will, Ted." I declare.

John and Walter exchanges a look. "Fine." They say in unison. I look at them in silence. I had no issue with them tagging along. They could help us in case we are attacked.

…

I tucked in a exhausted Teddy in bed. "Goodnight, Sweetie." I purr. It is a calm night, I look outside my window. I'm nervous about tomorrow. Thoughts zooms through my mind. I'm in my bed, warm and comfortable in my blankets. When I drift off to sleep, I dream of Red and C-101 and Daphne.

When the early sun rises, I wake up Teddy and we prepare ourselves for our journey. I wait for Teddy to come out of the bathroom when I peek inside of Laura's room. I see no sign of her. All I see is an open window.

 _Next chapter will be up soon. This story will take time to be written, so please be patient. I work on this story and my other stories in my occasional free time. Please give me your thoughts on the characters and reviews on the story.(Update, I am currently has laptop and internet troubles, so my typing of this story will take longer. Update, still having issues. Please wait for story to come out in February or January of 2018. I will still work on the stories, but it will take time. This update is 12-20-17)  
_


	29. Finding Laura

"NO!" I cry out in disbelief. I want to scream at this point. Why must EVERYTHING always go wrong?

I resolve to finding Laura. _I need her get to the Zone._ My heart quickens as my mind races.

She must be going to Colorado. Dammit! I fume in my head.

"This can't be happening!" I mumble to myself angrily. I struggle to stay optimistic. I can only hope she is nearby.

Teddy exits the bathroom and I immediately approach her. "Teddy, we need to leave now!" I order.

Teddy raises an eyebrow. "Why? What happened?"

"Laura is gone." I say sharply. I grab her hand before she could open her mouth and I'm running downstairs like my hair was on fire. Teddy is struggling against me. "FAYE, LET GO OF MY HAND!" She protests.

When we reach the last step, I lose my balance and me and Teddy tumble forward onto the floor. When I hit the floor, the air leaves my body and I'm stunned. Teddy groans in pain and yanks her hand away from my grip.

I hear Janice gasp and she runs towards us. "GOODNESS! GIRLS, WHAT HAPPENED?" She bends down and helps me to my feet. Teddy picks herself up.

I turn my attention to Teddy. "You okay?" I ask.

Teddy gives me a irritated look. "Why did you run down the stairs with me?!" She demands.

Janice chimes in. "What happened?" She repeats.

"I was in a rush. We need to go!" I reason. "Laura is gone. She ran away! She snuck out through the window!" I say this loud enough for John and Walter to hear. Janice's eyes widen full of alarm.

"Did you search the house?" John asks me.

"No. But I saw an open window." I say, scurrying towards the front door.

"Well, she could still be here," With that Janice goes upstairs. "LAURA, WHERE ARE YOU?" She calls out. Walter decides to help, he gets up and search the upstairs. He opens doors and pokes his head into the bedrooms. I wait, anticipating that they would find Laura. But my hopes dies when I hear Walter groans in frustration.

"She's not here." Walter snarls. "What the hell?"

John gets up from his chair and approaches me. "Faye, what now?"

My voice becomes serious. "We look for her. Now." With that, I head to the front door and beckon Teddy to come to me.

"Wait," John halts me. "Let me and Walter gather up our weapons."

I nod. "Thanks." I did feel grateful for John and Walter's assistance. I still did not know them well. But they're better than nothing.

John goes upstairs and alerts Walter. I hear them conversant briefly. Moments later, they have their weapons. Janice comes last with a concerned expression on her face.

"I hope that girl is alright." She utters.

Then I see something in the corner of my eye. I catch a glimpse of red hair outside the nearby window. Without thinking, I make my way to the living room window and peek outside.

I gasps in shock. Kneeling down outside the window is Red.

"RED!" I can't help my shrieking voice. I am filled with happiness and surprise. My voice is loud enough to hear outside and inside.

Walter calls out to me in a confused voice. "Excuse me? What's red?"

I turn around to a confused Janice. "What's outside?"

"Red is here?" Teddy asks me. With that she walks over to the window and peeks out. She gasps happily. "RED!"

Red is alarmed and stiff, she stares at us with a blank expression.

Teddy is excited. She turns to Janice. "One of my friends are outside!" She turns her head back to the window and beckons Red to come inside.

Teddy doesn't wait, she races to the front door and jerks it open. On the pouch is a cautious looking C-101. Standing right next to him was a healthy looking Daphne. C-101's eyes widen in shock at the sight of Teddy.

"Xander!" I squeal. I run over to C-101 full speed. Teddy briskly embraces Daphne. She squeezes Daphne with all of her might.

"DAPHNE! YOU'RE OKAY!" Teddy squealed overjoyed. Daphne smiles in response. I am flabbergasted. "How? Daphne, you were so sick!" I exclaim.

"I felt better after a couple of days," Daphne explains. Teddy pulls away. "We went to get medicine for you!" Teddy cry.

Red makes her way up to the pouch.

"What is going on?" I turn around to see John emerging from downstairs, baffled.

"Who are your friends, Faye?" Janice asks me gently.

"Who is this?" C-101 asks me.

"Janice, this is Red and Xander and Daphne. My friends." I explain.

I think to myself about what to do. I didn't expect this reunion. I forgot all about Laura and the Zone. But I do need Laura in order to get into the Quarantine Zone. I push back the happiness of seeing my group and focus on finding the runaway.

"Xander, we need to go!"

C-101 gives me a glare. "Excuse me? I'm sorry, since when are you the leader? Me and Red has been through hell trying to find shelter!" He rebuffs.

I have no time for bickering. "I am looking for a Quarantine Zone. I need to take someone to the Zone." C-101 attempts to walk inside, I block him.

"And?" C-101 says sharply. "Move out the way!"

"Please, Xander. A Quarantine Zone means no more fighting Infecteds. No more hunting for food or water." I urge. "Please just come with us and help me!"

C-101 looks like he wants to say something, but he glances at Teddy and Janice and closes his mouth.

I then decide to lie. "I was offered a lot of resources. A car, guns, and bountiful amounts of food. If we go to this Zone and bring her there. We will be set and secure." I exclaim. Now C-101 looks interested.

"Really?" He says. C-101 looks around. "Where is the "her"?"

"She ran away. We need to look for her. We got some help." I explain I gestures towards Walter and John who are completely flabbergasted. "Her name is Laura."

C-101 looks at me for a moment. He looks exhausted and unkempt.

I am impatient. "We need to go now. Before she's too far gone." I urge. I do not wait, I literally shove C-101 away from the door. "COME ON!" I holler. I make my way to the forest.

"FAYE! WAIT!" C-101 yells out. But at this point, I'm running straight into the forest. I'm walking through the forest for a couple of minutes when everyone catch up with me and follows me. Walter and John holds their weapons on their backpacks. Red and C-101 walks cautiously behind me. Teddy is engrossed in Daphne. She is overflowing with exburence over the return of her friend. Teddy chatters to Daphne, making gestures and smiling widely. When I see Teddy's energy, I feel great relief. I'm thankful her ebullient spirit is still intact. I glance at Daphne. She seems the same as well. Quiet and reserved. A complete contrast to Teddy's energetic nature.

"Daph, so what happened?" Teddy inquires.

Daphne has a thoughtful look on her face. "I felt better after a while. Then there was a huge flood. We barely got out of there alive. We were holding on to trees to not drown. It was really scary."

Teddy warmly embraces her friend. "I really missed you!" Teddy exclaims. Daphne embraces her back tightly.

"Hi, will you two stop your hugging feast and start walking?" C-101 barks at the girls. Teddy rolls her eyes in a cheeky manner and continues to hug Daphne.

"Leave them alone, Xander!" I fume.

"Shut up, Faye!" C-101 hiss.

Walter chimes in. "Young boy, you do not talk like that!" He rebukes C-101.

C-101 glares at Walter. "I'll do whatever I want." He says curt.

"Just stop bickering, everyone. We need to find Laura." Janice declares.

Everyone is silent after that exchange. Teddy continues to chatter Daphne's ears off as we walk.

….

We are walking for a long time, time seems to linger.

"Hey, there's smoke!" Daphne cry. She points her finger to the sky and everyone's eyes follow it. There is smoke in the distance.

"You think that's Laura?" John asks.

"We're gonna find out." C-101 says bluntly.

We go deeper and deeper into the forest to locate the smoke. Then we find Laura.

"Laura!" Janice cry. Laura spins around to see us. "What the hell?" Laura gasp. Despite the short time she's been out of the house, she managed to build a campfire next to a river. In her hand is a sharp switchblade.

"How did you find me?" Laura demands.

Walter approaches Laura angrily. "I think the better question is why the hell did you sneak out? Do you have any idea what's out here?"

Janice puts a calming hand on Walter's shoulder. "Calm down, Walt. She's just a child who made a mistake."

Walter narrows his eyes at Janice. "A mistake? She snuck out of the house, knowing she could have killed! That's not a mistake, that's just stupidity."

Janice is gentle. "She is still a child." She soothes. Walter rolls his eyes. Janice doesn't mind this and turns her attention to Laura. "Are you alright, sweetie?"

"I'm fine, Janice." Laura speaks in a soft voice. Then her voice becomes sharp. "I'm fine. I do not need help."

I chime in. "Sarah told me I need to take you to a Quarantine Zone to meet a Smuggler."

Laura is stubborn. "No. I don't even know you." She scowls at me.

C-101 rolls his eyes, he takes a step closer to Laura. "Bitch, we need to take to a Zone. You're gonna go if you like it or not." He says harshly.

Laura glares at C-101. "Fuck you." Laura hiss. "Who are you? I never seen you two before!" Red is silent and blank faced as usual. Laura seems uneasy by her and focuses on C-101.

I continue to be calm. "Laura, please. Sarah asked me to help you. Please." I plead.

Laura is still giving me a distrustful glare. She opens her mouth when there is a loud commotion in the background. Everyone's attention is seized immediately. We hear footsteps. Then BOOM!

"SHIT!"

Everything happens so fast. The deafening sound of a gun hisses in the air. I'm on the ground instinctively.

"AH! DAMN! SHIT!" I hear John wailing in agony. I glance at him, his right shoulder is bloody. He is on the ground, trembling in pain.

"JOHN! YOU OKAY?" Walter shouts out.

John only groans in response. Then a group of Bandits ambushes us.

 _Next chapter will be up soon. Reviews and thoughts._


	30. The Decision

Everything happens so fast. I am swallowed by white smoke. It causes me to cough violently as it burns my eyes. I find myself on the ground, the taste of iron fills my mouth. My head is throbbing with agony. Sharp pain erupts through me. What happened? I hear a shrill scream.

"FAYE!" Teddy's shrill voice gives me the strength to roll on my side. I can see nothing among the smoke. But I can hear. I struggle to pick myself up, once I'm on my feet, I lost all energy and collapse to the ground in a heap. I'm breathless, like someone kicked the oxygen out of my lungs. I catch a glance of my arm and I see blooming bruises. A wave of sharp pain hits me when I try to get up again. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The popping of gunfire pierces my ears. I cover my head with my hands. I slowly begin to crawl.

"Fuck you!" I hear a man yell. Then I hear a pop and a sick thud. My heart is trembling. I want to scream, but my throat is dry as sandpaper.

The smoke begins to thin and I can see. There are eight Bandits. They are all unkempt males that has weapons ranging from guns to machetes to hunting rifles. I spot a limp John lying on the ground, I catch a glance of Walter shooting a Bandit to death. He shoots several more times into the distance.

I hear Laura grunting, I see her defending herself with a switchblade. She is on a Bandit's back, stabbing him repeatedly. The Bandit twists around violently, trying to throwing her off.

"STAY AWAY FROM US!" I hear Janice shriek. I turn my head. She stands defensively in front of Teddy and Daphne. A man with a machete approaches them menacingly. In her shaking hand is a pocket knife. I hear a sick thud in Laura's direction. "Piece of shit." She mumbles.

"SHUT THE FUCK AND GIVE US EVERYTHING YOU GOT!" The man roars. Tears of terror runs down Janice's face.

I find the strength to pick myself up, ignoring the throbbing pain within me. But I can only stand at this point. Come on! I scream at my healing factor. Work faster. I feel the tingling feeling and strength does return to me, but not fast enough.

Then I hear Red's animalistic scream. I turn my head to see Red unleash her fungal claws.C-101 is next to her, appearing panicked. He attempts to grab her shoulder, but it is too late. Red charges towards a Bandit with a machete. The Bandits's attention are seized by Red and they are astonished by her claws.

"Fuck?!" The Bandit swings his machete violently, missing a nimble Red completely. Red jumps on his back and penetrates her claws into the man's stomach. The Bandit collapses to the ground with a sharp cry. BOOM!

Red spasms in agony as a bullet from a Hunting rifle punctures through her stomach. Then that agony turns into unbridled rage. Red leaps to her feet and charges towards the baffled Bandit with the rifle. "What the fuck?!"

Red is nimble, she tackles the Bandit, piercing her claws into his sides. The Bandit releases a agonizing scream and dies instantly. Red yanks her red claws out.

Janice screams in horror. "OH MY GOD!"

Red is in her prime at this point. I can see the gleam of bloodthirst in her eyes. I glance at everyone else. Oh shit. I think. They saw Red's claws.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME, YOU…." Red swiftly charges at the Bandit that was previously threatening Janice and the children. The Bandit swings his machete violently, terror flashes in his eyes, when he misses. Red penetrates one pair of claws into his thigh, the Bandit falls to his side, screaming in agony.

Janice screams at the sight of this brutal violence. Red doesn't stop, she stabs the Bandit in the chest multiple times, killing him.

"FUCK THIS!" I turn around to see the few remaining Bandits fleeing into the forest.

Finally my strength is fully restored. I bypass a speechless Janice to a pale looking Teddy and Daphne.

"Ted, Daphne, are you okay?" I ask.

Teddy's eyes quiver. "What…..wha...Red?" She points a shaking finger to Red. I bite my lower lip. I have no idea on what to say. Everyone is staring at Red. C-101's eyes are wide and cautious.

Walter is the first one to break the silence. John is on his feet, holding his bloody shoulder. "What the fuck is she?" Walter demands.

I look at Red. Red, as usual, shows no emotions. C-101 speaks up. "We're leaving. Faye, come on." He says curt. C-101 doesn't wait for me, he walks up to me swiftly and grabs my arm. But Walter is adamant. "No, what the fuck is she?"

"Faye…." Teddy looks at me in confusion.

"None of your business." C-101 snarls. C-101 tugs my arm.

"She killed those men...like….like...an animal.." Janice mutters.

Walter eyes me. "Are you like her?" He probes.

I lie. "No." I yank my arm away. "Red is a friend. She's a good ally." I reassure them.

Walter looks at us with mistrust and alarm. "Janice, we made a mistake." He reloads his gun. "These kids are not normal."

Janice gasps. "Walter, no!" Janice shrieks. "Do not hurt them. I….I…" She glances at Red nervously. "I understand you are afraid of the girl, but Faye said she is harmless."

Walter glares at Janice. "Janice, the girl killed those men with claws coming out of her body. She is not harmless."

Walter approaches us. "I WANT ANSWERS NOW. WHAT IS SHE?"

I find myself standing next to C-101. I have no idea what to do. The tension is so high. I need to go to a Quarantine Zone, so I want a large group, but I need Red as well.

Then we hear Infected. Before we could do anything, a group of Clickers charges at us. Everyone scatters and runs. The Clickers were attracted to all of the commotion we made. As we run, I spot a hammer on the ground, I swiftly grab the hammer without stopping my running.

Laura is faster than all of us, we thoughtlessly follow her. I feel my foot is twisted into something and I tumble to the ground. The majority of the group do not notice me, expect Teddy. "FAYE!" She shrieks. She spins around and darts towards me. Teddy grabs my arm, trying to pull me up. I kick my leg to loosen it. When I'm free, I tightly grab Teddy and I yank her forward. "KEEP RUNNING!" I scream. We dart to keep up with the others. The Clickers are nearby, their horrid screams and grunts hurts my ears.

We make it to the group when we all approach a dead end. A pile of dead trees block our path. "SHIT!" Walter cries. "GIVE ME A BREAK!" He aims his gun. C-101 exchanges a look with Red. Laura grabs a rock.

Janice grabs Daphne's hand and squeezes it. 'Oh god..oh god.." She mumbles. "Teddy,climb a tree now." I order. Teddy obeys immediately. She darts for the nearest tree and climbs it. I squeeze my grip on my hammer. John is useless with his injury and gets behind Walter. The Clickers attacks us. With adrenaline pumping through me, I charge for the closest Clicker and swing my hammer for it's head. I hit it, but I only stun it.

Another Clicker violently charges at me and I evade it narrowly. A rock is thrown at the Clicker I stunned, it screeches in agony. Another one is thrown and Laura bolts towards it. She wastes no time in stabbing it in the chest repeatedly. "Fucking shit." She cry. BOOM! Walter shoots the one I evade. I decide to copy Laura and grab a rock. I hurl the rock at a nearby Clicker, hitting it in the head, stunning it. I charge for it and bash its head. It staggers back violently, but I keep going. I swing my hammer back and forth, every swing more violent than the first. When it's dead, I tense myself up for another attack. "FUCK!" Laura wails. She frantically looks for a rock when a Clicker charges at her. I pick up a rock and hurl it at the Clicker. The rock impacts it's head, causing it to stagger. "Do it!" I shout at her. Laura doesn't wait and runs up to it. She stabs it in the heart, killing it instantly. Laura retreats. "Thank you…" She says to me.

Red leads a trail of carnage. Red screams as she slash and stab the Clickers in a bloody fury.

"Janice!" Daphne shrieks. I turn my head to see a Clicker charging towards Janice. Daphne grabs a rock and hurls it at the Clicker, but misses. Then it happens. Janice is tackled to the ground by the Clicker.

"AAH!" I'm tackled by a Clicker, I am able to shove it off of me, swiftly I hit it with my hammer. I smash it across the face. The Clicker goes berserk, flailing its arms wildly and releasing a animalistic screech. I swing my hammer again and bash it across the head. It falls to the ground with a long winded screech and I continue to bash it's head in.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Walter continues to shoot.

"JANICE! JANICE!" Daphne wails. Janice uses both of her hands to keep the Clicker from eating her face off. She pushes her hands on the Clicker's chest and struggles. Red runs to her and penetrates the Clicker's brain with her claws, killing it instantly. Janice scrambles to her feet, breathless and horrified. Finally we are safe. She looks Red in the eyes. "Thank...you….thank you.." She breathes.

"Janice, are you bit?" Daphne asks. "I think…." Janice cuts her off hastily. "Daphne, I am not. I am fine. Just breathless." Janice's voice is sharp and harsh. A total contrast from her gentle and soft voice. Daphne flinches and stays quiet.

"Teddy, you can come down now." I walk to the tree. Teddy nods and climbs down. "Are you okay?" Teddy is shaking. I nod. "Yes." I reassure her. Teddy smiles in relief. "Good." Then she goes to Daphne. "Daph!"

"Kid," I hear Walter call out. "Thank you, Red." He says hesitantly. Red does not pay much attention to Walter. He is still alarmed by Red's uncanny abilities, but I supposed he is thankful for Red's abilities.

Walter puts all of his attention on Janice. Janice is shaken up. Her hair is matted and her clothes are dirty.

"Are you okay?" Walter asks.

Janice nods quickly. "Yes. I...I...am just tired." She whispers.

"Faye, right?" I spin around to see Laura.

I nod.

"Thanks, Faye. For saving my ass back there." Laura gives me a broad smile. I smile back. "No problem."

Laura looks me in the eyes with a hint of guilt in her eyes. "Sorry….about being a dick." Laura apologizes.

I shrug my shoulders, but then I remember why we are out here. "Laura, you shouldn't have ran away in the first place." My voice is strict. "We said we wanted to help you."

Laura frowns. She was not having it. "I did not need your help. I was fine until you guys followed me." Laura takes a deep breath and softens her expression. "Look, I don't want to fight. But I can take care of myself." She proclaims. "I'm not a fan of groups." She adds.

"Laura," My tone is grave. "Sarah wanted me to take you. Trust me, I know you're capable. But I made a promise."

Laura looks thoughtful for a moment. "Well I'm going to Colorado, because that's what Sarah told me." She says with a hint of longing in her voice.

I study Laura. Sarah said she had amnesia. "Laura, what do you remember?"

Laura looks at me shocked. She opens her mouth, but Walter calls out. "We need to walk and find shelter. We are too far from our house." Walter puts a helpful arm around John. Then we walk. Laura and I continue our conservation. "Sarah said something happened." Laura then glares at me offended. "Well I remember everything." She snaps.

I change the subject. "Why do you want to go to the Fireflies?"

"Because I want to." Laura says curt.

I can tell Laura doesn't trust me enough to give me information.

"Look, Laura, I made a promise. I'll take to a Zone and get you a escort."

Laura raises an eyebrow. "What?"

"You have no clue where Colorado is. So you need someone who does." I explain.

Laura looks thoughtful. "I guess you have a point."

I smile in relief. "Thank you."

"So what happened? When we got attacked by the Bandits?" I asks.

"You were the first one that got attacked. Some guy just tackled you to the ground and wailed on you. Walter got him off of you and kicked his ass. Then there was a smoke bomb and everyone scattered around." Laura explains. I nod.

We walk quietly a few moments until Laura talks to me again. "What is up with that Red girl?" She questions.

"She's…..different. But harmless." I explain bluntly. I expect Laura to ask me more questions, but shockingly she doesn't.

We walk for several hours. When it becomes dark, we make sure to camp out in a bushy area. We were able to find a nearby creek. Walter makes a fire and assists his wounded nephew. I decide to sleep next to the girls. I lay on my bed, looking at the starry sky. Teddy pulls out her sleeping bag and slips into it. Teddy chatters Daphne's ears off. "Come on, Daphne, get in with me. It's cold." Teddy urges.

Daphne clutches her hands together. Daphne's body language is nervous and rigid. She doesn't answer Teddy. Teddy raises an eyebrow at Daphne. "What's wrong?"

Daphne is silent for a moment. Then she inches towards a confused Teddy and forcefully grabs her arm. "DAPHNE!" Teddy cry alarmed. I get up and I put a firm hand on Daphne's shoulder. "Daphne, do not grab Teddy like that!" I scold.

Daphne releases Teddy immediately and is apologetic. Her cheeks become reddish and her eyes are soft. "I'm sorry, but I would like to talk to Teddy right now about something." Daphne explains.

"No, it is late. Talk about it in the morning."

Daphne appears defeated and doesn't protest. "Okay." She says.

I return back to my resting place and I get comfortable on the ground. I close my eyes when I hear Daphne and Teddy engaging in a soft conservation. They are talking so softly, it is almost incoherent.

Daphne whispers something to Teddy that I could not make out.

Teddy begins to whisper as well, but I can somewhat make out what she is saying. "Are you sure?" Teddy's voice is full to the brim with shock and surprise.

"Go to sleep, girls." I hear Janice's strict voice in the distance.

"Yes, Miss." Daphne says politely. And the girls go to sleep.

I sleep soundly despite the nightmare we just experienced. I wake up during the night to hear soft sobbing.

I sit up and hear the sobbing turning from soft to hysterical. I scramble to my feet and allow my curiosity to control me. I follow the sobbing, entering into the forest. I see Janice. My mouth drops wide open.

Janice's back is towards me. But I can see it. A bite. Janice has pulled her right sleeve down, revealing a reddish bite on her shoulder. I can tell by her body language that she is petrified. Janice seems to be in a trance, staring at her bite.

"Holy shit…" I spin around to see Laura. She has a shocked expression on her face. "No...no..Janice…" Janice spins around. She appears dreadful. "Girls, please…...just…..go to sleep."

"Janice, you're bitten!" Laura exclaims.

"BE QUIET!" Janice hiss. Laura and I flinches briefly. Her intensity is sudden. But Janice becomes soft spoken again.

"Go to sleep..please." Janice orders.

"Janice, no. We need to deal with this!" I declare. Janice looks like she wants to slap us.

Janice glares at me. "I will handle this," She puts on a brave face and walks pass us.

Me and Laura are in shock. I had nothing against Janice, but I know how the infection works. She could turn at any moment. The turning process is different for everyone. Most will turn within a short amount of days and some can turn within 24 hours.

I have no clue about Janice. I think about Teddy and Daphne. _I need to do something. I should tell C-101 and Red. Now!_ I think primarily about Daphne. Daphne was talking to Teddy about something. Perhaps it was this. Daphne did ask if Janice was bitten, I remember her almost saying something else, before she was abruptly cut off. So Teddy must know that Janice is infected.

"What do we do?" Laura whispers. "She's not going to tell anyone."

I ignore Laura and approach C-101 and Red. I wake up C-101. I spot Janice, she lays limply on the ground alone.

"Wha.." I yank C-101 roughly by the arm. So roughly I'm able to make him sit up. Red's eyes widens at my behavior.

C-101 yanks his arm back. "What the hell is…" I slam my hand on his mouth. "Woods! NOW!" I whispers harshly.

I do not wait. I yank C-101 to his feet and I tug him into the woods. Red appears confused and follows us. C-101 yanks his arm away again and looks angry. "What?! Have you lost your mind?" He rants. Laura sees us and follows us.

"Janice is bitten." She declares.

C-101 is quiet for a moment. "Oh." He says bluntly.

"Oh?! Is that all you have to say?" Laura gasp.

C-101 shrugs his shoulders. "What do you want me to say, runaway?" He rolls his eyes. Laura glares at him. She gives him the middle finger. C-101 rolls his eyes again.

I ignore this quarrel and I am straightforward. "What do we do about her?"

"Leave." C-101 proclaims. "In the morning, we leave. Fuck these people."

I narrow my eyes. "Xander, we need a group to get to the Zone. They helped us."

"Faye, these people are not our problem!" C-101 argues.

"We need them to get the Zone." I insist.

"Faye, you don't care about these assholes. You just want them around to achieve a goal of yours." C-101 fumes.

I glare at C-101. He always has a way to make my blood boil.

"We need to do something about Janice." I insist.

"We should tell John and Walter." Laura suggests.

"No. Janice isn't going to tell anyone about her condition." C-101 says.

"You don't know that." Laura argues.

"What I do know is that Janice is going to turn soon. We got a man with a gun. We know what is going to happen when she turns anyway."

"You really think Walter will be able to do that?" Laura is not asking a question.

"Please, Xander. We need a plan. We have to do something. They have helped us alot."

"Help? One of the fuckers is injured and useless. The only guy who is useful attempted to shoot Red. And the lady is bitten. Faye, your "happy" group is dead." C-101 retorts bitterly.

C-101 looks at Laura. "And this one is just a bitch." He insults.

"Fuck you, Scaly." Laura retorts.

C-101 rolls his eyes impudently.

I am not in the mood. "I need to protect Teddy and Daphne. Something must be done. We need Walter. John, when he heals, can be helpful to us!"

"Then do something!" C-101 urges.

I am silent for a moment. "Like what?" My voice is soft.

"Put her out of her misery. She can't turn if she dies." C-101 elucidates.

Laura is horrified. "You mean…" Her voice drifts off.

C-101 looks at Laura. "What? Didn't you stab some guys just a few hours ago?"

Laura glares at C-101 with hardened eyes. "For self defense. This...this is different..Janice helped me. She fed me and helped someone I cared about!" Laura proclaimed passionately.

"Well once Janice turns, you're going to have no choice." C-101 explains. I think to myself. I know C-101 is right. But Janice is such a kind woman. I like her. But I need to protect the girls. C-101 is right. Janice probably isn't going to tell anyone. At least right now. I must do something. I think about telling Walter. But who's to say he will believe me? I can see Janice hiding her bite anyway.

Laura is opposed to this and isn't afraid to let out of her thoughts. "No! We need to tell Walter and John about this!"

C-101 rolls his eyes. "Yeah, like they would believe you. Don't you get it? One of the most common reactions to an infection is denial. So even if you do tell them, you really think Janice will be just cool about it. No, she'll lie her ass off and deflect it!" C-101 hiss. "And why are you even here anyway? You have no business in this conservation, kid!" C-101 adds.

"I'm not a kid!" Laura puts her hands on her hip. Laura's mannerism becomes brash and her tone is harsh. "You're probably the same age as I am! So don't start talking to me about anything, asshole!"

C-101's face becomes reddish. I find some amusement in this argument of theirs.

Red is leaning on a nearby tree, simply watching this ordeal.

"Fuck this!" Laura fumes. She walks away with a huff. She heads straight for Walter's direction. C-101's eyes widen with alarm. Before I could do anything, C-101 bolts right pass me and forcefully grabs Laura's arm, stopping her in her tracks.

Laura releases a gasp of shock, then glares furiously at C-101. She struggles violently to pull her arm away. "LET ME GO, YOU FUCKER!" She shrieks. Concerned, I hurry to them and I grab C-101's free hand. "What the hell are you doing?" I demand. "Let her go!"

"You're not telling anyone anything!" C-101 barks. I hear light footsteps, I turn my head to see a approaching Red. "Red, help me! Just in case." I beg. C-101 gives me annoyed look. "I'm not going to do anything to this bitch!" C-101 rebuffs.

I am sick of this now. "Enough!"

Laura finally yanks her arm away. She is not having it. Laura takes a bold step towards C-101 and points a stern finger in his face. "No! Fuck that! You do not call me a bitch!" Laura demands. Laura appears hostile, her hands becomes fists. Red and I exchange a look and immediately Red wraps her arms around Laura's waist, restraining her. "HI! LET ME GO!" Laura protests. She struggles to get away from Red like a fish on a hook. Red remains composed as Laura exhausts herself out and becomes limp. "Glad that you're done with your little tantrum." C-101 teases.

"Shut the fuck up!" Laura hiss.

I raise my voice to display my authority. "Just stop fighting! We could attract infecteds!"

C-101 smirks. "Thank you for reminding us that, when you yourself are yelling, Miss. Irony!"

I want to punch this bastard so badly. I let C-101's insults roll down my back. _Do not engage in a fight with C-101. It is counterproductive._

"Laura, please, let's just deal with this in the morning." I placate.

"And what if she turns in the morning?" C-101 probes.

"I'll think of something!" I declare.

"HEY!" My heart drops at the booming voice of Walter. I hear his heavy footsteps. "What the hell are you kids doing, this late at night?" He demands. "

Laura hastily walks up to Walter, C-101 takes a step closer to her, but I tug his arm back to stop him in his tracks. C-101 shoots me a cold glare and I shoot him one back.

Walter gazes at this exchange baffled. "What is wrong with you?" He asks.

"W...Walt...Walter...I have bad n...news...Janice...is..." Laura's voice drifts off, she look as if this is painful for her. I feel pity for Laura. I didn't like her at first, but now I can understand her pain. She lost her guardian, her memory, and now a woman who cared for her. I think that's one of the few things me and Laura have in common; loss.

I exhale. "Janice is bitten."

Walter stares at me for a long time. Then he utters. "Excuse me?"

"Jan...Janice is bitten," Laura falters.

Walter doesn't appear convinced. "Janice is fine,"

Laura shakes her head. She raise her voice. "No, Walter. Janice is bitten!" Laura object.

Walter still doesn't look convinced. "Janice would tell me if something was wrong. Go to sleep." Walter doesn't wait, he turns his back and walks back to the camp site.

"What the fuck?" Laura mumbles in disbelief.

C-101 approaches me. "Let's go." He say curt.

"We need a large group!" I insist. "We can't just leave! I mean where are we even going to go?" I begin to lose my temper. "We wander and wander and wander, but we never go anywhere! I am sick and tired of walking through these motherfucking woods! We have a chance to go to a new place. A place where we will never have to survive anymore! We could live in a secure place and live normal lives. We would have food and water and protection! You keep go on and on about having food and shit, but yet you won't just consider going to a Zone!" I rant. C-101 opens his mouth, but I cut him off. "NO!" I grit my teeth. "We need to do something!"

C-101 sighs heavily. He is thoughtful for a moment. "Fine," C-101 glares at me. "I guess going to a Zone would be nice. But this woman is going to turn soon. I'm not going to help when you have to clean up the mess."

I feel relief wash over me. I smile. "Thank you, Xander."

C-101 rolls his eyes. "Whatever," He shrugs his shoulders. "Once this woman turns, you better do something about her."

Then we all go back to the campsite. Laura is clever and climbs up a nearby tree. She sits on a large tree branch and ties her legs up with rope she possessed to prevent her from falling. I stay close to the girls and C-101 stays close to Red. Red is the only fearless one who is near Janice.

The night seems to linger, I find it difficult to sleep. I imagine Janice turning and attacking someone. I am dreadfully nervous.

...

It is early in the morning, I wake up to hear Janice. _Shit...shit...shit..._ I think in my head. I hear her breathing heavily. Like she is exhausted.

I get up, the sun burns my eyes. Janice is lying on her side, her back to me and her face is facing the forest. I look around, everyone is still asleep.

"Shit!" I whisper when Janice scrambles to her feet. Janice doesn't turn around when I say this. Instead she just sluggishly staggers into the forest. I hear groaning and breathing roughly. I inch back to my original spot. _She is turning. She is succumbing to it._ I search for a gun, but I find nothing. Probably best if I used a weapon with less sound. I see my hammer and I pick it up.

 _I am sorry, Janice._ I apologize in my head. I follow her into the forest slowly and quietly. I clutch the hammer tightly. I am five feet away from her. She doesn't notice me. Her groaning eventually become inhuman. I see Janice's limbs beginning to twitch. Every twitch she makes releases out a sharp cry. Janice stops in her tracks. She goes into a hunching position, still making noises. Her back is still to me.

My heart thunders in my chest. I rise up my hammer as I inch closer to her. Then I attack.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" My hammer collides with her skull, causing her to release a bloodcurdling, dreadful scream. I cautiously turn my head to see if someone would come, but no one does.

Janice doesn't go down. She staggers back violently, her head shakes uncontrollably. _I have to finish her!_ I look Janice in the eyes. I see her eyes slowly turning orange. I take a step closer to Janice, I never break eye contact with her, I raise my hammer above my head. I release a angry cry as I swing my bloody hammer across her head again. Janice collapse to the ground helplessly.

Janice's eyes are still locked on me. There is still humanity lingering within her. I can see her fear. She has a hellish gaze on her face, her body is trembling like a leaf in a storm.

Saliva drools down her chin. Her twitching increases. I hover over Janice, preparing my hammer.

Janice struggles to provide speech. Her words are slurred and nearly incoherent. "Fay..Fay..w...wh..n!" I do not respond back to her. I look Janice directly in the eyes with a empty stare. I deliver a powerful blow after powerful blow, I smash her skull with all the brutal force I could muster. Eventually my hammer penetrates into her skull, cracking it. Grayish brain matter flies everywhere. Blood splatters on me and on the ground. Janice screams in agony as I do this. Finally I give one more critical blow and her screaming ceases. It is dead silent now. I breath heavily, exhausted from the action I just committed. I gaze at Janice. A pool of blood surrounds her.

I feel numb. I gaze at my hammer and clothes. My clothes are splattered with blood. My hammer is soaked with crimson. I gasp. "Oh no! How am I going to clean myself up?" My heart is still drumming. Adrenaline is still pumping through my veins. I have no clothes to change into. I grit my teeth in frustration. I decide on a whim to return back to the site. Being here isn't going to do anything. In a haste, I turn around to start, but I instantly stop and gasps. My blood runs cold and I begin to tremble. A lump forms in my throat. All the numbness I feel vanishes and transforms into fear and dread when I see a horrified looking Daphne.

My lips quiver. I take a unsteady step towards her. Daphne releases out a terrified shriek and flees away from me.

 _Shit._

 _Next chapter will be up soon. Reviews and thoughts._


	31. The Old Group

**_Faye just finished off an infected Janice, but unfortunately Daphne may have possibly witnessed the ordeal unfold._**

My heart is racing a mile a minute. I am running as quickly as I can towards Daphne. I chase the frightened girl. From the adrenaline pumping in my vein, I am faster than usual. I make it up to the child and I forcefully grab her arm to stop her.

Daphne releases a scream and immediately begins to struggle against me. "LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" She wails. The sheer fright and terror is her small voice is alarming.

"Daph, let me explain!" I beg. But the child is too terrified to listen. Promptly, she kicks me in the shin. "OWWWWWWW!" I yelp, instantly my hands fly to my throbbing shin. Daphne makes a mad dash away from me.

"Fuck! Fuck!" I vent out of frustration. I stomp my foot like a petulant child. I want to just scream and kick out of anger. Everything always go wrong! Every fucking thing! Every single MOTHERFUCKING time. I screech inside of my head.

I just want to rip everything in my path to shreds. "I should have had Red to do this!" I mutter to myself bitterly. Now one of the children I am a guardian of is frightened of me.

Teddy pops into my mind. I worry about Daphne confiding the horrors that just occurred to her.

I look at myself. All of the blood on me reminds me of my past.

I desire to clean myself. I honestly want new clothes in general. But I have nothing. With a heavy heart and a mind full of apprehension, I head back to the campsite.

I'm a foot away from the campsite when I notice something that catches my eyes. I look at the tree Laura slept in. No sign of her. She left. Again. "SHIT!" I bellow. With rage and frustration seething inside of me, I yank a rock of the earth and I hurl it into a random direction. "THAT FUCKING BITCH LEFT AGAIN! THAT FUCKING BITCH!" I'm apoplectic. My sensible side is attempting to smoothen my heated nerves, but to no avail.

I'm seeing red at this point. I am sick of everything! With a huff, I resume my walk to the campsite. Within an inch of entering the campsite, I am welcomed by a alarming sight.

Walter is aiming his rifle at a ferocious Red. Her claws are unleashed and she looks to be ready to attack at any moment. Walter's face is beet red and furious. C-101 is stand right behind Red, glaring coldly at Walter.

I see no sign of Teddy or Daphne. Frozen with fright, I stand in the brushes idly.

Walter snarls. "YOU MURDERED JANICE!"

I feel my heart drum rapidly. Fear shoots through me.

C-101 shouts in Red's defense. "Red didn't kill her." He hiss. C-101 notices me and his eyes widens at the blood. He opens and close his mouth, as if he is debating on ratting me out. I can see from his eyes that knew what happened.

C-101 gives me a hasty look. I could read it. He silently tells me to, "Stay where I am." I do.

C-101 pretends that I don't exist. He turns to Walter with a snarl. "Look asshole! We are leaving now!" With that he grabs Red's wrist. Red never breaks eye contact with Walter.

"WALTER!" I hear his nephew emerging from the forest to approach his Uncle. John hobble to his Uncle and looks worried. "What are you doing?" He demands.

"THIS BITCH KILLED JANICE!" Walter roars.

John's eyes widen with alarm. "What? Are you serious?"

"YES!" Walter is enraged. "I SAW HER FUCKING BODY IN THE FOREST JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO! SHE HAD MARKS AND WOUNDS ALL OVER HER!"

My heart skips a beat. I am confused. I do not recall seeing Walter anywhere. Perhaps he saw her body when I was chasing Daphne?

Walter glares at Red. "SHE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN SAVAGELY KILL SOMEONE LIKE THAT!" Walter bellows.

John is still confused, he grabs Walter's shoulder to prevent him from shooting. "Walter, think...for a second..just relax!" He begs.

C-101 begins to become fed up with this. "That's it! If you don't leave us alone, I will let Red go!" C-101 threatens. "Just walk away and everyone will be fine."

Walter brandish the gun, aiming it directly at their heads. "You...kids...you monsters...killed my friend! I refuse to let you get away with that!" He is simmering with revenge.

Then everything goes into slow motion. I stare at Red and C-101 as they exchange a wordlessly look. Red gives Walter a icy stare. Walter is staring at Red, paying no attention to C-101 as he picks up a rock from the ground. C-101 swiftly throws it at Walter, hitting him in the head. Walter staggers back with a cry, his gun is lowered. Then Red pounces.

With a piercing scream, Red slashes Walter's neck, his neck gushes with blood. Walter drops his gun and releases a warm scream. Red didn't seem to cut a major vein, as Walter is still standing. Walter clutching his gushing throat. His throat is flowing like a river.

"Holy shit!" John screams in terror. "Shit! Shit!" He cry.

Red isn't done. Red never just let her prey go. Red runs up to Walter and pierces her claws into Walter's chest. John is shaken to the core. He looks on helplessly as Red yanks out her claws. I suppose Red didn't impale Walter's heart, but he was still stiffly breathing and limp. But from all of the blood he is losing, he is definitely dying. I hurry to them and make my way to C-101. John makes a fateful decision and shoves Red off of his Uncle.

"NO! Walter!" He wails. Red falls straight on her butt. I see the bloodthirsty look in her eyes. Then Red swiftly retracts her claws.

Then I spot the girls. I see Teddy poking her head out of the bushes. Tears stream down her cheeks.

Teddy's eyes analyzes me. She sees the blood. I see Daphne poking her head as well.

Without thinking, I scurry to Teddy with a heavy heart. I don't want her to see me like this! I feel my heart crack.

"You….killed…..Janice…." Those three words causes a flow of tears run down my cheeks.

I decide to be honest. "Teddy, I…..I….I….had to do it. She was turning. She was turning into a Runner!" I explain with emotions.

Teddy shakes her head in denial. More tears flow down her cheeks. "I…..I….just want to go home!" She sobs brokenly.

Impulsive, I gently pull Teddy out of the bushes and embrace her. Teddy doesn't hug me back. Her arms are stiff at her sides.

I force a smile when I release her. "Listen to me," I look at Daphne. She is shaken and traumatized like Teddy.

"I didn't kill….Janice because I'm a bad person….I...I...I….had to stop her." I croak. Teddy looks at me with a thoughtful expression. She is quiet for a moment. "We...are still looking for my parents…." Her voice drifts off.

Not wanting to verbally lie to Teddy, I nod silently. That makes Teddy become slightly relaxed.

All I want is Teddy to be happy. "Yes." I whisper.

I look at Daphne. "Daph, we will find your sisters." I reassure her. Daphne gives me a averted glance.

I hear the broken sobs from John, he is kneeling over Walter's dying body. Finally I realize that my large group I desired is no more.

"We need to go." I say forthright.

"Where's….um...Laura?" Teddy asks sheepishly.

"Gone. But we will find her." I feel a pang of determination. I am adamant on bringing Laura to the Quarantine Zone. I will bring her. I will meet Felix again. I will find us a new home. I will give Teddy a good life. I will give Daphne a good life.

I will achieve my goal.

C-101 is eager to go. He looks on at the bloodshed with callousness. "Come on. We need to get the fuck out of the forest already!" He says to us. I gather up all of the resources we need. Teddy holds my hand, I reach out my hand to Daphne, but she instinctively steps away from me. Teddy and I has been through multiple events, so she knows I'm not a monster. I can only hope she doesn't have any deep seated fear of me. But Teddy still retains her trust to me.

But Daphne is different. I believe that I have favoritism towards Teddy, not that I don't care for Daphne, but Teddy and I have a close relationship. Me and Teddy are like birds of a feather that flocks together. Daphne is just that lone bird that is left behind. I feel guilty for ignoring Daphne. I suppose I barely interacted with her because she actually had family to look for.

Daphne sticks close to Teddy, her nervous gaze is everlasting. Daphne never once looks me in the eyes.

I walk with my old group deep within the forest.

 _ **In the next chapter, Faye and her group will finally exit the forest and will embark on a journey to find Laura again. Hope you enjoy. Reviews and thoughts.**_


	32. The City

For a full week, me and my group travel through the thick forest. As we travel, we keep a keen eye for Laura. She ran away again. Who knows where she is by now. I begin to notice the temperature around me beginning to change. It is cold, I find myself shivering from time to time.

Then one morning, I wake up to white powdery dust falling from the sky. I scream in horror.

"RED! XANDER! LOOK!" I shriek. Everyone is startled awake by my screaming.

"What?" Teddy asks, she looks at me with great confusion and alarm. Daphne appears apprehensive.

I'm trembling. I am terrified and confused, the white dust is not natural. I never seen this before. I am freezing cold, I instinctively hug myself.

"Look! Look!" I gesture to the dust frantically.

C-101 appears annoyed. "Faye, this is snow." C-101 says dryly.

I raise an eyebrow. "What?"

Teddy tilts her head. "You don't know what "snow" is, Faye?" Her voice is coated with disbelief.

"No." I say frankly.

C-101 rolls his eyes. "It's winter. I think it's January right now. It's probably going to snow harder soon. So we need to get out of the woods and find some shelter with heat." C-101 elucidates.

I feel my cheeks heat with embarrassment. I feel stupid now. I was barely shown the outside when I was Mucker. He would often take me out when it was warm or humid or rainy. I have never seen snow before. I would only go outside for testing practices, like hunting and infecting animals.

I transfix my eyes on the snow. I watch the snow pile on the ground. A chilling wind sends shivers up my spine.

For several days, me and Red has been hunting small animals to feed the group. But since we has so many mouths to feed, we are out of food right now. Today, we do not eat and we just walk with empty stomachs.

After a few miles in the forest, I see the rooftops of buildings in the distance. I am overjoyed immediately. "A CITY!" I shout. C-101 orders the group to hurry up and heads for it. Within a hour, we enter a ransacked city.

The city is dead silent. I see buildings that are seemingly empty. I see stores with broken windows. Abandoned cars are scattered almost everywhere. We walk down a wide black, littered road.

Deers roaming the area.

"Finally we are out of the woods!" I express.

C-101 doesn't takes time to look around. "We need a place to sleep. This place looks abandoned. Just find some empty building." He orders. C-101 pauses and we all stop in our tracks. C-101 looks at everyone. "We're going to split up into groups," C-101 analyzes everyone.

"Red, you stays with the kids and look inside those buildings nearby," I gaze at C-101 full of shock. To be honest, I was anticipating C-101 to leave the girls stranded and me and him engaging in a argument again.

"Faye and I are going to look deeper into the city," C-101 points to the ground. "We will meet up back at this spot! Exactly. If one of us doesn't return to this exact spot, you're going to be left." He warns.

Everyone exchanges a quick nod. I go to the girls with Red following me from behind. "Stay close to Red." I order sternly.

Teddy's eyes flick to Red. She has fear gleaming within them. I put a calming hand on her shoulder. "Red is a friend, Teddy. She will not hurt you. I promise." I reassure her. My words are genuine. Red may be predatory, ferocious, and unnerving, but she's always been a good ally. Even though me and Red never even had a conversation before, I can say I know Red like the back of my hand. I am positive that Red will not attack the children. Knowing Red, I trust her to keep the children safe from threat.

"Just stay close to each other." I tell them. Teddy nods. I look at Daphne, who is avoiding eye contact with me. She is behind Teddy, pale as the snow on the ground.

"Come on, Faye!" C-101 shouts out, I turn my head to see C-101 already walking off to search the city.

I scurry away from the girls and I exchange a wordlessly look with Red. I make my way to C-101. We travel through the wide city. I see combined buildings that are connected to each other. I see bakeries with moldy sweet goods. We walk down this narrow road, damaged cars are everywhere. C-101 is engrossed in the cars. C-101 examines one gray car closely.

"Faye, you think we could fix this?" C-101 ask me.

"No." I say honest. C-101 frowns.

"You're useless, Faye." C-101 insults. I roll my eyes and allow his insult to roll down my back.

C-101 scrutinizes the cars. "Because if we had a vehicle, we could get to places faster. I was hoping these cars would be fixable."

"Do you know anything about cars?" I inquire.

"No." C-101 admits.

We walk for a long time, we search the buildings. All of the buildings are ransacked. Me and C-101 walk up a flight of stairs and approach a cracked door.

"Think we should go in? It's not secure." C-101 ask me.

I shake my head. "For resources, not shelter." I say. C-101 nods in agreement. He opens the door with ease. Sunlight lightens the building. It is a small living room we enter. It's a small place in general with only one bedroom, bathroom, and a small kitchen.

"Search the place for anything!" C-101 orders. I nod and explore the place. C-101 rummanges the kitchen. I head into the bathroom and I see a horrifying sight.

"HOLY SHIT!" I shriek. "XANDER!" I hear C-101's hasty footsteps coming to me.

"What did you find?" He ask.

I point a stiff finger at the three corpses huddled in the tub. The tub is almost full, the water is dirty and murky. I see a gray metal object in the tub, it has a cord attached to it. It is plugged in by the nearby sink.

The corpse are slightly fresh, but is rotting. Their skin is revolting and oddly colored, it's a woman, a man, and a little boy. They all have brown hair and brown eyes. My heart is cracking, I am transfixed on this sight of complete horror. I want to throw up.

The man is leaning onto the side, his head presses on the wall. The woman lies on her back in the middle of the tub, her arms around the small boy. The boy lies on his Mother's chest. All of their eyes are frozen open.

Even C-101 is startled by this. "Shit.." He mutters. "That's a bad way to go."

"I can't believe they had a kid with them…" My voice drifts off.

C-101 shrugs his shoulders. "Well people do things like this when they're terrified out of their minds. Maybe they were bitten and didn't want to abandon their kid. Maybe."

I immediately think of Teddy.

As if on cue, "Probably what Daphne and Teddy's parents did to them, just different."

I turn away from the scene and look at C-101.

C-101 is eager to leave. "Let's get out of this bathroom." Then we go into the hallway.

"You do know those girls you're playing "Mommy" to are orphans, right?" C-101 probes.

I bite my tongue, unsure on what to say. I do not want C-101 to know that Teddy's parents are dead. Knowing him, he will use it against me.

"I'm looking for their families." I finally utter.

"What families?"

"They have families." I insist.

"Liar. I can see it in your face, Faye. You know those girls don't have families to go to. You know this! Don't play dumb. You keep telling those brats you're looking for their Mommies and Daddies, but you are just tagging them along so you can play Mommy with them." C-101 hiss.

I ball up my fists. I knew I would get into a argument with him! I knew it! Anger builds up within me.

"You're a dick!" I retort. "You caused the Yeager family to die!" I take a furious step towards him.

I give him a icy stare. C-101 is unfazed. C-101 is coldly glaring at me.

"So? Your point?"

I just want to strangle him. "You're a horrible person! You are a heartless bastard that cares about himself! You made me kill Nick! Remember that, C-101?" My tongue becomes mocking and cold.

"Remember how you caused an entire family to die for nothing. I bet you thought Winters would love you."

C-101's glare breaks for a split second, but resuming. He grits his teeth. "You little bitch!" He growls.

I smile devilishly at this. "Oh, I may have hit a huge nerve, didn't I? Just like how I was hit with a baseball bat when I killed Nick," I begin to dig inside of C-101 even deeper. "You always wanted Winters to like you! You killed his son because you were jealous! Always! You didn't care about Winters abusing us, you just wanted to impress him and be his favorite! You really thought by causing me to kill the family that Winters would finally respect you!"

There is a long silence between us. Both of us in disbelief of what was exchanged. I slowly begin to feel guilt about what I said. C-101's expression is stoic, no emotions in his face. Even his glare is emotionless. I feel myself tensing up, thinking C-101 is going to strike me at any moment.

Swiftly, I muster up the willpower to apologize. "C-101, I am sorry. I shouldn't….I shouldn't have said that.." My voice is soft.

C-101 is silent. He turns away and walks away from me.

"XANDER!" I call out. I get no response. I feel horrible. This is the very first time I want C-101 to yell and insult me. Him, being silent and distant is drastically different. Honestly that's just how our relationship always operated, oddly enough. We hate each other as much as we love each other.

C-101 grabs a few things from the kitchen and carries it in his arms. He doesn't speak to me and exit the building with me chasing after him.

We search other buildings to see if they are stable enough to live in and find nothing. But I do discover knives and I managed to find a light green backpack I could put my stuff into. The backpack is full of books and comics. To make room, I selectively remove the items from the bag. I'm inside a bedroom with purple walls. I find clothes that are my size in some dressers. I grab some clothes and change from my dried blood soaked clothes into clean clothes. I look at myself in the mirror that hangs on the wall. I'm wearing dark blue pants and a red long sleeved shirt. I find shoes that are my size as well and a thick yellow coat and a pink jacket all within this one room. I look for items for the girls, but I find nothing that will fit them. I head out of the bedroom and I keep up with C-101.

An hour passes and C-101 is still ignoring my existence. We are now walking down a street with shops nearby. I become frustrated with C-101 and I approach him. "Xander, you better talk to me right now!" I am simmering with anger.

C-101 rolls his eyes and attempts to walk away, I forcefully grab his shoulder. "No! You better listen to me, C-101. I am sick of your bullshit! You insult me and treat me like shit everyday, but when I do it to you, it's different?" I rant.

C-101 finally speaks to me. "Well you deserve it. Considering all of the shit you pull!" He snarls.

Well at least he's talking to me now. I think.

I grit my teeth. "Excuse me?" I gasp. "Look at yourself, you bitch!" I add sharply.

"You are worst as me!" C-101 snaps.

"Well why didn't you leave me after you killed Winters' son?" I blurt out.

C-101 is quiet for a moment. He thinks to himself. "I don't know." He answers, his voice becomes less angry.

My anger begins to wash over. "Look, let's just forget about this. I'm sorry about what I said. Getting mad at each other will not help anything."

C-101 looks at me for a long time. "Fine." He says solemnly. He looks around. "Come on, let's go back to the spot and meet up with the others."

"Okay." I say. Then we head back.

Next chapter will come soon. Reviews and thoughts.


	33. Reconciliation

**Reconciliation**

We all meet at the exact spot with no problems. It is still lightly snowing, the area is freezing cold.

When me and C-101 arrive the spot, Red and the girls approaches us. Teddy is beaming with exburence. "Faye, we found a place to sleep!" Teddy exults. "It's down the street, it's a motel!"

I smile grateful. "Good job, you guys." I praise. Teddy beams when I say this. She gradually comes to me and grabs my hand. Eager, she tugs me forward. "Come on! Let's go!" She urges feverishly.

C-101 is cautious. "Wait," C-101 says urgently. "Red," He looks directly at her. "Is it clear?" He asks.

Red nods in response.

C-101 accepts that response and walks towards her. "Retract your claws, Red. Just in case something crazy happens." He urges.

Without protest, Red unleashes her claws. Daphne begins to tremble out of fright. Teddy is a mixture of both curiosity and alarm. Teddy gazes at Red's claws from afar.

Then we all follow Red to the motel. It is in horrible shape. The doors of the motel rooms are all broken. The windows are shattered. The area is empty as Red indicated to C-101. No infected. No animals. Just abandoned cars.

There's at least sixteen respective rooms in total.

"Faye," C-101 calls to me. I turn to him. "We need to pick who gets what room."

I scan the area to see Teddy and Daphne wandering the parking lot. I keep a close eye on them as I talk to C-101.

"I will share a room with the girls. I need to monitor them." I declare without giving C-101 a glance.

"Fine. I'm going to have a room to myself. I think Red will do the same. We need to get into rooms that are close to each other. Like door to door. Just in case something happens." C-101 explains.

I nod in agreement.

Almost immediately, I hurry to the girls and escort them to a random room I pick. The room has two large beds.

Teddy and Daphne collectively agree to sleep in the same bed. Their bed is closer to the bathroom. I sit on my bed. I simply take in the warmth of the room. I rub a curious hand on the bed. It is so soft. I feel like I'm on a cloud. I think of a place, but I do not recall it's origins.

I dismiss my thoughts when C-101 enters the room. "Faye, Red is going hunting. Come on." He beckons me to the door.

I pucker my lips annoyed. "Do you not see the minors?" I gesture towards the girls.

C-101 has no interest in what I said. "Faye, we need to hunt if we're going to survive. These brats can take care of themselves." C-101 insists. "The more of us hunt. The more we get."

Teddy takes a step closer to C-101. "I could help." She offers.

I look at Teddy with concern brewing within me. "Ted, no. You stay here where it is safe." I say gently.

Teddy is stubborn. "No. I have a gun. We could hunt better."

"No." C-101 objects. "Now go play with that other girl!" He points a strict finger to Daphne.

Teddy rolls her eyes indignant. "No, I'm coming." Teddy crosses her arms. "I can help," She narrows her eyes at C-101. "Like you said the more of us hunt. The more we get." C-101 glares at Teddy coldly. I clear my throat. "Teddy," I make sure my voice is understanding. "I know you want to help. But you're too young." I tell her.

Teddy rolls her eyes in response. I am taken aback by Teddy's sudden change in behavior. "I'm ten, Faye." She declares. I see great self perseverance brewing in her eyes. I am baffled by Teddy's age. I remember that she told me that her birthday was close, but she never told me the exact date.

"I want to learn how to hunt!" She insist. "I want to help!"

I feel pity for Teddy. A young girl that's been through so much. I want her to be self sufficient, but I couldn't bear it if she was harmed.

"Annoying, fucking brat." With that, C-101 turns away, mumbling to himself. "Come on, I don't care. We're wasting time." He walks out of the room.

I make a decision. "Teddy, you can come." A ebullient smile appears on Teddy's face. Teddy jumps up in excitement. "YES!" Teddy swirls around full of energy. "Daph, let's go!"

Teddy doesn't wait for Daphne's response. She swiftly hurry to Daphne and grabs her wrist.

"Teddy, calm down! Ask if Daphne wants to come first." I rebuke. I think about Daphne's wellbeing. I can't leave her alone. Daphne is meek compared to Teddy. I decide that if Daphne refuses to come, then I can't leave and Teddy can't go.

"Do you want to come?" I walk to her with a sweet smile. Daphne, still cautious towards me, backs away as I approach her. Daphne shakes her head profusely. "No...no.." She murmurs. Teddy's exuberant smile instantly transforms into thin lipped displeasure.

This upsets Teddy greatly. She frowns. "Daph, come on!" She urges. "It's no big deal!"

But Daphne becomes timid. She keeps clenching and unclenching her hands. She nervously bites her lower lip. "I….I….do not want to go."

Teddy narrows her eyes in indignation. She takes a bitter step to Daphne. "Daphne, come on! I want you to come! Nothing will happen. Red will be with her," Teddy gestures to me. "Faye will be with us!"

Daphne's eyes become watery. "I...I...I.." Her voice drifts off. Her eyes finds the floor.

I decide to break this up. "Teddy, if Daphne doesn't want to go, then she won't." I declare. Teddy huffs. "Whatever." Teddy grabs her gun and proceeds to head to the door.

I grab the girl's shoulder and halt her. "No, Teddy. You can't go either." I tell her sternly.

Teddy yanks her shoulder back. "What?!" Her eyes are wide with shock. "No!" She whines.

I narrow my eyes and raise my voice. "Young lady, do not have that tone of voice with me!"

Teddy rolls her eyes. "Whatever." She mumbles under her breath. I point a stern finger to the bed Daphne and Teddy are planning to sleep in. "Sit down and put the gun away. Is it loaded?"

Teddy is motionless for a moment, her eyes flicker to the door as if she is thinking about booking it for the door. Then she obeys me and puts her gun down on the nearby desk. She gives a cold glare and sits on the bed with her arms crossed.

I hear Daphne's soft sobs. I turn to her, Daphne is sitting on the floor, softly weeping to herself. _Teddy must have hurt her feelings._ I think.

I approach the downcasted girl with a maternal smile. "Daph," I coo.

Daphne reacts fearfully at the sight of me. Hastily, she dives under the bed to escape me. I feel a pang of hurt and I can only look on. Teddy is alarmed by this moment, her eyes widens, she goes to the bed that Daphne is hiding under and kneels down.

"Daphne?" Teddy's voice is coated with confusion and concern. "What's wrong?"

I kneel down to look at Daphne. She is frighteningly pale. Daphne trembles, her eyes are glued on me.

"Daphne? Hello? What's wrong?" Teddy is baffled.

Daphne's eyes flick to Teddy. "Um...um….nothing.." She mutters.

I feel my heart crack.

Teddy is oblivious to the tension in the air. She gives Daphne a small smile. "Look, I'm sorry about being such a jerk earlier." With that she extends out a hand to Daphne. "I'll teach you how to hunt the next time we hunt." She offers.

Daphne is silent for a small moment. Then she takes Teddy's hand and Teddy proceeds to pull her from under the bed.

At this point I have realized that Daphne has seen too much. She knows what I am capable of. She probably thinks that I am going to lash out at her. To Teddy, I have a tangible relationship. She seems to see me as a pragmatic guardian. But Daphne, a girl I would rarely spent time with, witnessed me killing a kindhearted woman in cold blood.

I can't say I blame her. I want to kick myself for my favoritism. I am resolute to form a relationship with Daphne. But for now I will leave her alone.

I am silent and I decide to idly lie on my bed. I hear Teddy chattering with Daphne.

"So...my Dad took me out hunting. It was so cool! Daddy would always get biggest deers. My Mom went with us, but she was really mad at Dad when he shot a duck."

"Why?" Daphne asks softly.

"Mom didn't like hunting. She kept yelling at Daddy and she kept trying to bring us back inside. She said that hunting is barbaric," Teddy's tone becomes sharp. "Thankfully Mom never went on another hunting trip again."

"Barbaric?" Daphne mouths.

"Yeah. I have no idea what that means. But Daddy told her that we live in a world where hunting is the best hobby to have." Teddy smiles.

"So if we ever run out of food, we'll just hunt." Teddy beams. Teddy raises up a fist to Daphne. Daphne is confused. "What are you doing?"

"Fist pump." Teddy says bluntly. "Come on."

Daphne forms a fist and presses her fist on to Teddy's. "Great! Together we are the Barbaric Hunter Twins!" Teddy exults with enthusiasm.

Daphne is low on energy, but is visibly trying to copy Teddy's animation. "Yeah!"

I smile at the girl's banter. Despite everything, I did enjoy the girl's innocence and friendship.

"So next time, you are going to go on a hunting trip, right?" Teddy urges.

"Maybe." Daphne answers softly.

"Maybe _yes_ or maybe _no_?" Teddy's eyes are locked onto Daphne's.

I hear slight annoyance in Daphne's voice. "I do not know, Teddy."

"Why did you hide?" Teddy inquires.

I instantly turn my head to the girls. Daphne's alarmed eyes finds mine.

Her lips quiver. "I...I…"

Teddy looks at me. I feel a pang of fear. I turn my head away.

"Nothing! Never mind!" Daphne cry.

Teddy is quick to dismiss this. "Fine. Fine. So got any idea on what to do next?"

"I don't know."

Teddy chuckles lightly. "I just can't wait to hunt. When we go, be behind me." Self-reliance is brewing in Teddy's voice. "Oh! Wait, what about your sister?"

"Enid hunted. But I never liked it." Daphne express. I hear longing in her voice. "Um….um...Frankie and Penelope…"

Teddy interrupts Daphne. "I really wished that I had siblings. I always wanted a brother or a sister." Teddy remarks.

"Yeah….." Daphne breathes.

"Hey! We got dinner." C-101 calls out.

With that I get out of bed and open the door to see Red tugging a deceased buck to the center of the parking lot. I am amazed how strong Red is. C-101 carries a dead duck in his arms. I see no more snow fall.

"We need to cook these things."

"Good," I say. "I'll make a fire so we can roast." I turn to the girls. "Don't go away anywhere." I order.

"Did you guys infect it?" I demand.

"No. I knew you would have a bitch fit if your pets get poisoned. So we used knives and the gun." C-101 explains.

"Come on, I'm starving. Let's roast this thing."

"Which one do you want, the buck or the duck?" I ask.

C-101 is thoughtful. "Buck. Since its bigger. It will take the longest." C-101 reasons.

With that C-101 puts down the duck.

"Xander, Faye!" I turn my head to a eager Teddy dragging a meek Daphne to us. "We could help! I know how to cook! We need to make a fire. We need a bunch of rocks and wood! Come on!" With that Teddy yanks Daphne forward and darts for the forest full speed. I quickly stop her.

"Teddy! I said no!" I scold.

Teddy is persistent. "Daphne changed her mind!" She retorts. "Right, Daph?" Teddy turns her head to Daphne with a eager grin.

Daphne is silent and nods.

"See! She's on board." Teddy attempts to pull Daphne forward, but I stop them. "Enough!" I bark.

"You will stay here! It is too dangerous out in the woods. We will go as a group." I declare.

Teddy mumbles something under her breath.

"Come on." I say to everyone. "Teddy, tell us what to do."

Teddy beams. Once we reach the forest, Teddy's mind is activated. She barks out orders. "Daphne, rocks! Xander, sticks! Red, get some big chunks of woods!"

"We have to carry it all back." I say matter of fact.

"No shit, genius." C-101 remarks. I stand by and watch the rest follow Teddy's orders. After everything is gathered, we all return back to the parking lot. Teddy instructs us to make a campfire. I C-101 brings a crockpot and a butcher knife he took.

"Red, chop up the buck." C-101 hands Red the butcher knife.

Red clenches the knife and examines the buck.

I do not want the children to witness this. "Go inside. You don't need to see this." I pressure.

"But we need to start the fire first!" Teddy whines.

"Just go inside!" I raise my voice. "When Red is done, then you can start the fire."

Teddy rolls her eyes. "Whatever." She mumbles. Daphne, not wishing to see gory, hurries to the room ahead of Teddy.

Teddy takes her time and saunters to the room. When they are gone, C-101 talks to me. "Faye, what about that girl you were obsessed about?" He asks.

"Laura!" I blurt out in recognition. "Shit, I forgot about her!"

"You're not a good guardian." C-101 says.

"Shut up. I am not Laura's guardian." I correct. "I'm going to be her escort."

"Well she's probably dead by now." C-101 says bluntly.

Red begins to carve the animal to pieces. I avoid looking and I continue my conservation with C-101.

"We need to start looking for her. I made a promise!"

"A promise that you forgot about." C-101 mocks.

I roll my eyes and let his mocking roll down my back.

"So what's special about this girl?" C-101 inquire.

"I do not know. But I have an opportunity to find us a home and to meet an old face."

C-101 chuckles. "So basically you give two shits about that Laura girl. You just want to accomplish some goal of yours. That's fucked up, even for you."

I roll my eyes impudent. "Shut up, you sanctimonious bastard!" I snap.

C-101 smirks. "Whatever."

"So are you on board or what?" I inquire.

"Yeah, if you stay consistent," C-101 gives me a smug grin. "Unlike you, I'm straightforward. I don't care about the little bitch either. But if I get a warm bed and some food, then I look for the brat with you. Plus what else do we have left to do?"

"Thanks." Then I remember something important.

"Thanks for not ratting me out to Walter." I smile. There is a sickening chopping sound coming from Red's direction. I see the thick blood in the air.

"What did you do to Janice anyway?" C-101 asks.

"I had a hammer and I made sure the infection didn't complete." I lower my eyes to the ground.

"Daphne saw it." I add miserably.

"And?"

"She is terrified of me!" I express.

"And?"

"Xander, this is serious! I am her guardian and she is terrified of me! She thinks that I'm going to do something to her!"

C-101 shrugs his shoulders. "Okay."

"Xander, do you not understand anything?" I vent.

"Faye, you did what you had to do. If you didn't, then Janice would have attacked us." C-101 reasons.

"I know." I whisper.

"Brat number 2 will get over it."

"It's not that simple."

"Well then Brat 2 is going to die a horrible death. Because…" I interrupt him.

"Enough! Don't say things like that!" I rebuke.

C-101 rolls his eyes. "Whatever. I forgot you're playing Mommy to them." C-101 chuckles in amusement.

"You are a child." I insult. With that I turn away from him. I hear more sickening crunches and I hurry to the room.

In the next chapter, the group will form a plan to find Laura.


	34. The Ambush

_**Hope you like this chapter. Now I had to change the story, I've been trying to implement another character with a new personality and role. At first, I made the character deaf for uniqueness, but upon doing research and seeing the likelihood of a deaf person in a Zombie infested world. I strongly value of characterization. When I write down characters, especially kid characters, I try to make sure they are complex and expressive. Kid characters are difficult to write because many cases of kid characters in stories and movies tend be sardonic and annoying to the audiences. I am currently writing the other chapters of this story. The Avenging, this story, and Mercy will further be updating in the summer. It will take time due to changes in my life.**_

After Red is done carving up the animal. Teddy creates a fire and we proceed to roast the chunks of the animal.

The meat is juicy and hot. Quite delicious and it did fill me up. All I could think about was Laura. I ponder why she suddenly left. I was under the impression that she was going to stay. After the meal, C-101 collect the remaining pieces of food left and store them in his room.

I scan the area for Infecteds. Thankfully I see nothing. But I also don't see the duck. "C-101, the duck is gone." I announce.

C-101 exits his room. "What?" Then he sees that his duck is gone. He runs over to me in alarm. "Where's my fucking duck?" He looks at me and Teddy with accusing eyes.

Teddy simply shrugs her shoulder. "I don't know." She declares.

C-101 glares at Teddy with gritting teeth. "Well someone did. That duck was dead, so it couldn't have gotten up and walked away. Where is it?" He demands.

Teddy rolls her eyes. "I don't know!" She raises her voice. "I did not do anything!"

I step in to defend Teddy, I get infront of her and approach C-101. "Stop! Enough! Teddy couldn't have stolen anything because she was in my line of sight the entire time. Maybe it was something else, like a hungry animal took it."

"We need to find some more food then. We can't live on just that food we have now. We need to get more food. At least a month worth," C-101 explains. "Faye, you're coming with to hunt."

I nod. I turn to Teddy. "Ted, we're going to find more food. Red is going to watch you for now."

Teddy nods. "Can I come?" She begs. "I can be a big help with my gun."

I shake my head. "No. I need you for something bigger." I speak in a patient and gentle voice. "You need to watch over Daphne. Red will protect you from any threats."

Teddy looks like she wants to protest, but she bites her lower lip. "Fine. But next time. Me and Daphne are going!" Teddy insist.

I smile with gratefulness. This moment is ruined by C-101's insistent yelling at me to hurry up.

I gaze at my surroundings in the thick woods. I've been in the forest for so long. It's like a second home for me. I see small animals scurry by us. It is tranquil. No infected in sight.

"That duck got stolen. I know it!" C-101 tells me suddenly.

I turn to him with skepticism. I'm assuming it was a animal that took the duck. I imagine one of those foxes I saw roaming the area stealing it. But I don't feel like arguing with C-101. "Let's just get another one." I say.

Laura pops into my mind. "Xander, how are we going to find Laura?" I probe.

"Somehow," C-101 looks around. "Let's just focus on gathering food for now."

I shake my head stubborn. "No. No. We need to focus on Laura too!" I insist. C-101 rolls his eyes.

"We will get to that later." C-101 declares, becoming annoyed. Then he looks up at the blue sky. His eyes widen.

"Faye, there's smoke. Looks like a campfire up ahead." C-101 tells me.

A campfire could only mean other survivors. I don't know how I feel. From all of my experiences, I am distrustful.

"They're probably scavengers. Probably stole that duck." C-101 tells me.

"How do you know?" I say skeptical. "Maybe they're just normal survivors."

C-101 walks briskly towards the area of interest. "We will see." I hurry to C-101. "Xander, we can't just kill them!" I rebuke.

"We're not. We're just going to question them. Interrogate them and get information." C-101 assures me.

C-101 doesn't give me time to respond and hurries away from me to the area. "Hey!" I scream, chasing after him. C-101 is faster than me, he jumps through the bushes and makes his way to the campsite.

"What the fuck? Are you serious?" C-101 gasps. My mouth drops open in shock, I am speechless.

C-101's duck is roasting by a fire. I can smell the delicious aroma in the air. There is a dark haired girl that is monitoring the fire. Her ebony hair is tied into a short ponytail.

Her hair is unkempt and matted. Her skin is pale and she is the same height as me. She is dirty and has noticeable scars on her face. She has feline like eyes that are dark.

She wears warm clothing and light brown leather boots. Within a fraction of a second, she swirls around with a deadly switchblade in her hand. She looks like she is going to charge at us at moment. "FUCK OFF! LEAVE ME ALONE!" She hiss aggressively.

C-101 raises his voice. "YOU LITTLE THIEF! WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK ARE STEALING OUR SHIT?" C-101 is red in the face with anger.

The girl gives us a unnerving stare. Her eyes are hostile and alert. Her stance is hostile and ready. She is silent and watches our movement.

I am unsettled by this instantly. I have never seen a person appear so aggressive before.

C-101 is not fazed. "Listen, you little bitch, give us back our duck!" With that, he storms over to her.

I see the girl's eyes flickering, her hand grips her switchblade.

"Xander, stop!" I warn.

C-101 doesn't listen to me. "Faye, grab that damn duck! I'll take care of this brat!" He snarls. The girl backs up a little. She uses her free hand to snatch up a rock and promptly hurls it at C-101. The rock impacts C-101's forehead. Then the girl flees swiftly. "Ow! You fucking brat!" C-101 yelp in pain. C-101 is shaking with anger, his fists are clenching and unclenching. "Xander!" I cry, running towards him. I see a blooming bruise on his forehead from the rock the girl threw.

"Enough. Let's just go!" I say. I grab his wrist and attempt to pull him away. But C-101 is stubborn as a rock.

"NO! THAT LITTLE BITCH THREW A ROCK AT ME AND STOLE OUR DUCK!" He flares. He yanks his wrist away from me and chases after the girl.

I chase after them. I am feets away from C-101 as he chases the girl through the lush forest. The girl is nimble and agile. She jumps over fallen tree branches and is able to keep distance away from us.

"COME HERE, YOU LITTLE BITCH!" C-101 crys. The chase instantly ceases when the girl stops dead in her tracks upon approaching a rapid creek.

The girl brandishes her switchblade.

I can see the outright belligerence in her eyes. She reminds me of Red. C-101 balls up his fists and glares back at her.

I want no conflicts. I get in between the two. "Stop!" I cry.

C-101 glares at me with great displeasure. I know that C-101 will be insistent on this. So I decide that I should interrogate the child. I make sure my voice and mannerism is gentle and warm. My voice is soft and slow. "My name is Faye. How are you?"

The girl just gives me a cold glare. Her switchblade is pointed directly at my chest. The girl makes me feel unsettled. I feel like she is going to lash out at me. "Get out of here! Both of you! Get the hell away or else!" She threatens. I keep calm. I'm not afraid at all.

"I'm not your enemy. We don't want to fight." I reassure her calmly. C-101 is still glaring at the girl from the background.

"I'm sorry about my friend," I say. "Please, let's just talk."

I remain composed as I could. The tenison is so thin that I could cut it with a knife. The girl is uncommunicative for a long time. She backs away from me, keeping her stoic expression on her face.

"Leave me alone." She demands terse. She flaunt her switchblade.

"Leave me alone and stay away from my campsite!"

C-101 is not fazed and takes a step closer to her. "Look, bitch, you stole our duck from us! I don't care if you have a knife or not, you little thief!" He snarls.

I grab C-101's shoulder, struggling to keep the peace. "Just stop. Let's just go."

"NO! I want answers." C-101 insist. "Better yet, go get Red. We will get this girl to talk to!" He added darkly.

"No! There will be no violence," I turn away from C-101 and swiftly to the girl. "Please, tell me, did you steal our duck?"

"I found it." The girl admits bluntly.

C-101 points an accusing finger to her. "I knew it!" He fumes.

"Who are you?" I inquire.

The girl backs away from me cautiously. "It doesn't matter. Just leave!" She insist.

"No! Fuck that, who else is with you?" C-101 demands furiously.

She scowls darkly. "FUCK YOU!" She hiss.

C-101 is beet red in the face. If I wasn't in front of him, he may have lashed out at her.

"Enough already! We just need to go!" I insist. I grab C-101's arm and I tug him away. C-101 yanks away my hand. "I'm done with this shit. I'm going to get the duck." He says as he departs.

"No! Wait!" C-101 ignores my protest and keeps going. The girl's dark eyes glimmers with shock. She runs pass me and after C-101. "All of this over a fucking duck?" I mumble to myself. I hurry after them. Teddy and Daphne reflect in my mind. The girl pops into my mind. She reminds me of them. Sorta. The girl is young, older than Teddy and Daphne. Her age is near mine. But she's different from the other girls. She acts so brash and hostile. When I make up to them, the girl is tugging on C-101's shirt feverishly. C-101 is trying to pry off the roasting duck, but the heat is burning his fingers, making him flinch. "Leave my shit alone!" The girl screams.

I hurry to C-101 and grab his shoulder, stopping him. "Enough!" I bark. "This is her food, not ours! Let's just go!"

"Xander, we can easily get another duck!" I insist. I grab his wrist roughly. I pull him away.

C-101 is stubborn and yanks his wrist away. "You're hopeless, Faye." He belittles.

Then he pauses. He has a thoughtful expression. He looks at the girl. "Where is the rest of your group?" He demands.

The girl is defiant. "Get away from me!" She cries.

C-101 gives up from trying to pry the duck off due to the scorching heat. He glares at the girl menacingly. "You have a group! Where are they, you little bitch?"

Then a sharp gasp makes me jump. Me and C-101 snap our heads to see another young girl. She has dark brown hair, dark as the tree bark surrounding us and her eyes are soft hazel. She is younger than the other girl. She is scrawny, she seems to be near Daphne's age. She has fair skin and a round face. She wears thick clothes and leather boots. The other girl appears furious. She speaks urgently through her gritting teeth. "Chelsy! Go away!" She commands. Defiantly, the girl sprints to the older girl and gets in front of her. She has her arms stretched out protectively. She has a perpetual withering expression on her face. Chelsy seems just as hostile as the other girl. "GET OUT OF HERE!" The older girl commands to the girl. She urgently grabs her shoulders and promptly shoves her to the side within a second. Chelsy gasps sharply and scowls indignant. Chelsy scrambles to her sister and wraps her arms around her with hardened eyes. I have enough of this and I attempt to pull C-101 away again. "Come on!" I urge.

"Fuck this!" He fumes. C-101 inches towards me with a cautious expression. "Fine. But we should keep our guard up.. She has a group."

C-101 scowls.

I am ready to leave. I want to get back to the girls. I want to start actively looking for Laura. C-101 is seething with frustration and walks away. I follow him.

I could see how angry and displeased C-101 from his body posture alone. I give him space and walk slowly behind him.

I think about the girls. I'm flabbergasted by their odd behavior and mannerism. Never before have I seen anyone that young like that. I push the girl into the back of my mind.

"We should look for Laura. We need to look for her now." I say feverishly. "We wasted enough time."

C-101 lazily shrugs his shoulders. "Sure, but how?" He probes.

"We'll find a way." I reassure him. We head back to the motel with no issues. I enter my room to find Daphne and Teddy chattering among themselves.

I am exhausted. Drained to the brim. I close the door to keep out the chilly winds. I exhale heavily as I think to myself.

How are we going to find Laura? She could be anywhere. I contemplate. I enter C-101's room in the early morning to discuss our plans. It is a wispy morning, it is cold and windy.

"Xander, what are we going to do?" I ask him. "We need to find Laura."

C-101 appears thoughtful. "I want to look at the cars here. I want to see if any of them work." He paces over to me, he is deep in thought. "We could drive through this place." He mutters to himself.

I think about the car idea. I recollect the time when I was younger and I drove Felix's car. The only experience I ever had with a car is when I crashed it. I knew nothing about cars at all. But C-101 did have a point. We should try to find faster transportation.

"Let's go!" I say impatiently. I snap C-101 out of his pondering and he opens the door. Teddy is outside with Daphne, they are playfully chasing each other. Red is monitoring them from the sideline as they dart through the parking lot.

When Teddy sees me and C-101 departing, she stops in her tracks with big eyes. Daphne, who was chasing her from behind, stops. Teddy grabs her wrist and promptly makes her way to me.

"Faye, are you going hunting?" Teddy asks eagerly.

"No. Car hunting." I inform her. "Watch Daphne."

Teddy shakes her head in defiance. "No. Me and Daphne," She grabs Daphne's stiff arm. "are coming."

"Faye!" I turn my head to see C-101 ahead of me. He is impatiently gesturing to me to come.

"Come on, Faye. We should come. We could be a big help!" Teddy coax. Daphne lowers her eyes to the ground to avoid looking at me.

I don't feel like arguing, so I give in. "Fine," I turn to Red. "Red, come on. We should go. Get your bags."

Teddy is overflowing with excitement. She darts to the room, her hand is glued to Daphne's.

Red makes her way to C-101. I wait for the girls to return. It is a full minute when Teddy returns carrying her backpack. Daphne evades eye context with me and clings to Teddy.

I exhale in dismay at the sight of this. But I turn around and start. "Come on." I say.

The walk through the city is long and tiring. The freezing winds makes us shudder even in our thick clothing. When we make it to the area of broken down cars, C-101 examines them closely. He is in deep thought, studying every inch of the cars.

"We need some kind of energy to power this thing." He murmurs.

Teddy raises an eyebrow. "You mean gas?" She questions.

C-101 swirls around to her. "What?" He breathe.

"My Dad use to have a car he would drive. He built it from scratch." Teddy exclaims.

C-101's eyes are wide with interest. "Your Dad made a car!"

"Yeah. He would go to the junkyard and get parts. He even let me help him. But," Teddy makes snarky gestures. "My Mom caught us one day and made my Dad stop." She frowns.

I think about Teddy's relationships with her parents. She seemed close to her Dad than her Mom. She often talks fondly of her Father, but she is always snarky and sour about her Mom.

"We could find a car and put gas in it." Teddy explains.

"How?"

Teddy makes a odd face. "I don't know."

"Gas isn't going to fall out of the sky. Where do you find gas?" C-101 insist.

"Well…...I...don't know. My Dad got gas from a junkyard."

"What did it look like?"

"It's a huge cart." Teddy answers. Then her big eyes flicker. "Oh! I forgot. An battery! We should see if these cars have working batteries!"

C-101 examines the silver car he is nearby. "How?"

"Open up the hood." Teddy instructs. She releases her grip on Daphne and makes her way to C-101.

C-101 attempts to pry his fingers into the front of the car. I make my way to them with Red behind me.

C-101 is unable to open the hood and groans. "Fuck!" He vents.

Red decides to give it a try. She unleashes her claws. Teddy is transfixed on them. Promptly, she puts the tips of her claws into the hood and successfully pry it open.

Once she is done, she retracts her claws back in and backs away to let in C-101.

"Nice job." C-101 compliments. I look at the insides of the car. There is no battery in it.

C-101 groans in frustration. "What the fuck?" He walks away hastily. "Come on, let's look at other cars."

Teddy is ready to go. She urges me and the others to follow C-101 through the city.

C-101 scans the cars one by one. It is a pattern. C-101 would get Red to open the hood and Teddy would examine the battery of the car. All of them were defective. Most of them were missing important parts of the car.

Daphne points at a silver colored truck that is stranded in the middle of the road. "What about that one?" She asks.

Red and C-101 turns to it and check it out. A broad smile forms on C-101's face. "There's a battery in this damn thing!" He cheers. Daphne looks at the truck and then screams out of terror.

"THERE'S SOMEONE IN THERE!" She shrieks. Daphne begins to tremble uncontrollably.

"Shut the fuck up!" C-101 whispers harshly. He attempts to approach towards her, but Daphne darts away. I hurry over Daphne, but Daphne evades me and keeps a fair distance. I see the rotting corpse in the front car seat. It is the corpse of a man with a baseball cap on. He is wearing hole riddled shirts and pants.

"Move him." C-101 says. The window is half open. He puts his arm into the car and opens the car door.

"Red, help me." Red stands behind C-101 as C-101 proceeds to pull him out. The man is yanked out. C-101 gives it to Red and Red lays down the corpse on the ground. The body is reeking. Teddy looks like she is on the verge of vomiting and moves away. She looks at the battery to distract herself.

Teddy examines it. "It looks good. From the looks of it, it's drained. But it's cells may be alive."

"What does that mean?" C-101 asks.

"The alternator will recharge the battery. We just need to get some movement." Teddy elucidates.

"So we need to drive it." I chime in.

Teddy nods. "Yeah."

I get an idea. "I could try."

"You've driven before?" C-101 questions.

"Yeah. Once." I say, then I promptly step over the man's corpse and into the car. I think about the man's last moments. He currently died in the car, he has the keys in the ignition, so he must have died in the car parked. The body is fresh, so basically that means the truck isn't worn out.

I swiftly turn the engine on and the truck makes a low, but slow sound. "We need to push it!" Teddy instructs. She points down the road. We are on a downhill slope.

C-101 nods and promptly barks out orders. "Red and I and the others push the car forward. So you can go down. That should be enough speed to charge up the battery." He says mindfully.

C-101, Red, Teddy, and Daphne all head to the back of the car. "Go!" C-101 calls out. I start the truck. It is slow at first. The others push the truck from behind with all of their strength.

I keep one foot on the gas pedal and the other one lightly on the brakes.

"Push it! Harder!" C-101 chants. I hear everyone's strained huffs and groans as they push. The truck is moving inch after inch. It takes several minutes when I'm finally on the edge of the road. One more good push and the truck gains speed.

The truck completely comes alive. My heart is racing with excitement. "YES!" I rejoice. "We have a fucking car!"

When I am able to reach a quarter of a mile, I park the car and wait for the others.

I see Teddy and the others running towards me in the rear mirror. Teddy is the fastest and she rushes to the front seat. "Faye, you did it!" She cheers happily. She raises up a fist to me with a broad smile on her face.

I raise up mine and I promptly fist pump with her.

"Put your seatbelt on." I tell her. Teddy nods and obeys. Daphne climbs into the backseat. She is quickly puts on her seatbelt. Red and C-101 clumps in with her.

"Drive steady." C-101 tells me.

I drive fairly fast, I watch the meter.

Teddy is a little ball of energy. She is excited by everything. "This is so awesome! We can get to places faster!" She exults.

I focus on the road ahead of me. I do my best to evade the broken down cars in the road. I keep driving until we are on open road.

"So do we just keep driving until we see Laura?" I inquire to C-101.

"Yeah. That's the plan." C-101 says.

The truck is awesome. It runs very fine and works perfectly. I smile in success. It slowly begins to rain lightly.

Within several minutes, we exit the city completely. The open road is long and black. Broken down cars is on the outskirts and none are in the road.

It is a full hour on the road when we enter a clustered road. There are several buildings with broken windows.

Then a burning moltov is thrown at us from the skies. I have no time to dodge it. It impacts the front window, cracking it. Unbridled flames licks the hood of the car. I scream as I begin to blindly swerve.

Teddy screams at the top of her lungs, her little body becomes rigid with fear. Daphne and C-101 clamores. Red releases out a sharp cry, she cling to the cushion of the seat.

"NO! FUCK!" C-101 screams. He is wearing no seatbelt, so he is clutching to Daphne for dear life.

I am unable to see through the flames and smoke. We only stop when the truck rams into a nearby tree. My face smashes into the steering wheel. Then white bags violently pops out of nowhere in the front seats. I hear Teddy shriek in pain.

I feel something wet dripping from my forehead. I feel my healing factor working as blood drips down my face.

Smokes enters the car through the cracks of the window. "OUT! OUT!" I cough out. I hear movement, the smoke begins to haze my sight. I blindly grasp for the door handle.

Then I hear a door being jerked open. "COME HERE, YOU LITTLE SHIT!" A male voice bellows, I hear Teddy screeching in terror.

I turn my head to see Teddy being dragged out by a muscular man. She is putting up a fight, kicking and screaming madly. I grab her shoe, pulling her back with all of my strength.

With one good yank, Teddy slips out of my grip and is dragged out of the car. She releases a long winded scream. I spill out of the damaged truck, I fall face first onto the grass. I scramble to my feet. The man is tussling with a violent Teddy. Her teeth are buried into the man's right hand.

"SHIT!" I shriek, running towards Teddy and her kidnapper. "RED!"

But Red is too far away. C-101 pulls out his gun and shoots immediately. The man is shot precisely in the head and dies instantly.

Teddy tumbles to the ground. I hear more voices in the distance coming closer. None of them sound friendly.

"COME ON!" C-101 darts for the nearest building. He is nimble and jumps into the building through a open window. Everyone collectively follows him as the voices escalates.

The building is ransacked and abandoned. "Hide!" C-101 commands. We all do. We hear footsteps entering the building. Voices, male and female, echoes through the room. I have no idea how many there are.

Then we hear something glassy break in the distance. The attackers are instantly lured to it. I take a brief peek to see many of the attackers running into the corridor through a steel door.

"Claws!" C-101 whispers to Red. I turn to Red to see that she already has them out prior C-101 ordering her to.

Within a fraction of a second, the steel door is slammed. The older girl we met in the forest emerges out a place I cannot see and swiftly jams the door with a nearby chair.

"The fuck?" C-101 whispers in disbelief. Me and C-101 exchanges a look. I spot Chelsy grabbing a pale green backpack and is closely behind the older girl.

The two girls are quick and jumps out of a open window.

"What's going on?" Daphne whispers to Teddy. Teddy doesn't answer.

C-101 springs to his feet. "Run. Now." Within seconds, there is aggressive banging on the jammed door.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" I hear a man yell.

Red is scanning her surroundings, her claws are sleek and long. We all begin to run. We head a different way when we see the chair giving way.

My heart is thundering in my chest. I see Teddy with her gun in her pant pocket. Daphne is glued to her like a shadow.

We run through a corridor, we see a exit door and bolt for it.

"SHIT!" I shriek as a three men with rifles emerges through the door. The men sees us and instantly aim.

C-101 shoots automatically. He is quicker than the men and is able shoot down one.

"GET DOWN!" I tackle Daphne and Teddy to the floor and shield them with my body. I feel a bullet entering my lower left leg. I release a warm scream of agony.

Teddy is trembling. "Faye!" She cry worried.

I hear Red's screech. I do not look up, but I hear Red's carnage. When I hear bodies drop and brief gunfire, I feel safe enough to get up. I still feel the bullet inside of my leg. My healing factor is working, but it does nothing to the bullet. Every move I makes gives me a twinge. Red is on top of a dying body, her claws buried inside his stomach.

I begin to limp.

"Faye, are you okay?" Teddy asks me. Without giving me time to response, she wraps one arm around my upper chest so I could lean on her.

"Lean on me. Your leg is bleeding." Teddy tells me.

I contemplate taking her offer, but I'm bigger than Teddy so she wouldn't be able to take my body weight.

"No. No." I object.

"No! Faye, you need help!" Without giving me time to object, Teddy helps me walk the best she could. She musters all of the strength in her scrawny, small frame to support me.

"Shit!" C-101 jerks away from the door and closes it. "Too many! There are way too many!" He alerts us.

"This is a fucking ambush!" He says. "This place is full of these assholes."

"What do we do?" I cry.

C-101 narrows his eyes. "We fucking fight." He declares.

 _ **Next chapter will come very soon. Had to change this chapter. Didn't like previous idea. Tell me about your opinions and reviews.**_


	35. The Lodge

My heart intensifies in my chest. I feel adrenaline racing through my veins. I glance at my injured leg.

I hear shouts and yells from the outside and inside. C-101 loads his gun, Red prepares for confrontation, and I ball up my fists.

"Teddy, Daphne, hide." I order strictly.

Teddy shakes her head. "You'll need help!" She insist. I turn my head to her to see her showcasing her handgun.

Daphne is pale as snow, she is eager to follow my orders, but doesn't seem to want to leave Teddy behind.

C-101 and Red puts their entire body mass onto the doors. There is resistance on the other side. Booming shouts of protest and frustration echoes through the building. The door jerked from the force of the other side. C-101 and Red uses all of their energy to hold them back.

"FAYE! WE NEED YOUR HELP!" C-101 screams. Sweat of exhaustion drips down his face.

I have no time for Teddy's stubbornness. If those attackers gets in, there will be blood on both sides.

"HIDE!" I holler with all of the intensity and authority I could muster. With that, I run to C-101 and Red without taking another glance. I ram myself in between Red and C-101 and push against the door.

I struggle to keep my balance. The attackers on the other side are banging and ramming themselves into the door with their force.

I turn my head to see Teddy and Daphne following my orders. They are out of my sight.

The force intensifies. I feel my the door giving way. C-101 realizes this as soon I do and barks out orders. "Faye, Red, we need to go on the offensive," He turns his head to me. "Faye, you heal faster than all of us. You stay close to me!" Then he speaks to Red. "Red, I need you to go hide. Don't make any sounds. Attack from behind! GO!" Red nods solemnly and hurries out of sight.

"SHIT!" I scream as the door nearly opens. I use all of my strength to slam it shut.

"What should I do?" I ask.

"Use your head. Just attack them!" He says terse.

I nod silently and brace myself.

Then a massive force impacts the door causing both me and C-101 to lose our balance. The door fly out and the attackers spills inside.

C-101 and I spring into action instantly. C-101 shoots and I randomly throw any object I could find at them. There are twelve. Several has guns, a few has melee weapons, and the others use their physical strength.

C-101 shoots directly at the ones with guns. C-101 never stays in one place and gives them a chase. I find myself alone and fighting against the others. I hear a series of gunfire in the background.

I dodge a swift swing of a machete. I feel the agonizing impact of a large knife being plunged into my back. I release a warm scream, through the piercing pain, I manage to snatch a dagger that one of the attacker drops.

My hands are shaky, I feel myself healing, but the attacker is repeatedly stabbing me. I swirl around and I manage to thrush the dagger into the stabber's chest.

Violently, I stabbed her in the chest multiple times until she collapse to the floor. I lunge for the attacker with a machete, but I am striked from my blind spot from an attacker.

I fall to the floor and I land to my face. Sharp pain rises from my body. I am thankful that none of them has guns. Because that one punch steals all of the oxygen from my lungs.

I pull up my face to see my attackers surrounding me. The one with a machete raises the weapon over his head to strike me.

Then a stroke of luck saves me. A brick impacts the machete possessor's head. He staggers back, disoriented. "THE FUCK?" Someone cries.

The other ones looks in the direction of the brick, they have no alarm about me.

I spot my dagger. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, I snatch it from the floor as the attackers are distracted.

I am seconds away from lunging myself at them when C-101 shoots at them. I watch C-101 shoot them, several of them falls to the floor in a heap. One was behind me, but was unjuried. He is terrified and flees. I glance at the ones who was shot and I see they have mortal injuries. I dismiss them and I dart to my group. I has splattered blood on me from the violent stabbing I did earlier. I run to Teddy and Daphne. "Let's go!" I cry.

"DAMN!" I hear C-101's frantic voice. "OUT OF FUCKING BULLETS!" The pounding on the door is growing louder and louder.

Daphne is trembling fearfully, tears of misery flow down her cheeks. "I don't want to die!" She weeps.

I glance at the window. The same window where the girls from the forest exited out of. "COME ON!" Teddy leaps to her feet, she promptly yanks Daphne up to her feet. Instantly we all begin to jolt to the nearest exit. A shattered window at the end of the corridor. I hear the bellowing and yelling of the attackers, but they are far away.

I leap outside the window first, Teddy and Daphne follow and the rest follows. I make sure to keep low. My hands are glued to Daphne and Teddy's clammy hands. Red bypass us and C-101 is beside me.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! I hear the screeching of pain and agony emanating through the area. We begin to sprint, trying to find an exit. On the way, we pass by grotesque bodies. Bodies that are maimed and mutilated. Pools of crimson splattered onto the snow. The bodies are scattered everywhere.

"What...the fuck?" I mutter in confusion. I hear more gunshots, but they are not near us. We never stop running. My hands are clung to the girls like a vice. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

I release out a warm scream as a vicious bullet impacts my right shoulder from behind. I don't stop running, Teddy squeezes my trembling hand with sheer fright in her eyes.

"Who is shooting at us?" I hear C-101 say.

For a brief moment, I allow my forceful curiosity to take over my eyes. I turn my head once to see a building with shattered windows. It was a different building, it appeared ransacked and damaged. But in the swift moment I glanced at the building, I caught a glimpse of a man in dark clothing loading up a rifle from the window. I don't see a clear view of his face or any other characteristics of the man. I sprint full speed, violently tugging the girls along. Daphne is weeping her heart out, Teddy is biting her lower lip, clinging to me like a lifeline.

More shots are aimed at us. I periodically dodge my head and move erratically to throw the shooter off. Luckily, we are able to make a break into the forest. Even when we make it into the forest, we keep sprinting.

We literally run a good six miles away from the place. We only stop when an exhausted Daphne falls to her knees. We were deep in the forest, breathless and weary. I have never been so happy to be in the forest. My shoulder is simmering with tingling and stinging sharp pain. I am drained of all energy. I just want to sit and relax. My legs feels heavy and my arms ache. Teddy is beet red in the face, she falls on her behind, gasping for air. Daphne is sweating beads, she looks like she is going to vomit at any moment.

Her eyes are pools of fear. "All of those….bodies…" She mutters horrified. Daphne begins to violently trembling. She hugs herself to keep herself from crumbling.

I keep calm. "It's alright….we….need...to...be calm…" I say in a wispy voice.

"I….think...we're far enough." C-101 gasps. He angrily toss his gun to the ground. "Dammit! I have no bullets!" He vents. He compose himself. "We need to be sharp. Stay closer one another. No one splits up. If you do, you are going to be left." He declares urgently.

I nod. "Understood." I say.

….

For two days, we camp out in the forest. We never stay in the same place. Once we wake in the morning, we instantly start to travel again. Our bellies were empty, our throats are dry, and our muscles are in agony. It is now near nighttime as we hobble through the forest.

Then we hear a man and a woman's voice. "Paul, where are you?"

"I'm over here, Lisa."

The voices are far, but somewhat nearby. Before we could do anything, a young woman emerges from the bushes. She is willowy with wavy, golden blonde hair and blue eyes. She wears thick clothes that are remarkably clean. In her pant pocket is a handgun. She appears to be in her early 30s. When she sees us, her ocean blue eyes flash. I immediately think of Nina. There is a glimmer of empathetic compassion dancing in her eyes.

"Oh….sorry...didn't mean to startle you." Her voice is gentle, almost maternal. "Are you lost?" She asks us.

No one talks.

The woman appears concerned, her compassionate eyes are glued to Teddy and Daphne. "We have food and shelter. Those kids looks like they're ready to faint at any moment." She express emotionally.

I shake my head. Even though food and shelter sounds tempting, I have learned from all of my experiences. "No." I say firmly.

Teddy is as quiet as a mouse. I glance down at Teddy and Daphne. They both look miserable. Hungry, thirsty, and exhausted. I hate seeing them like this. But I can't trust random strangers.

"Do you have canned foods?" C-101 suddenly ask.

The woman smiles brightly. "Yes." She eagerly urges us to come to her.

Then the man emerges from the bushes. He sees the woman and hurries to her. "Lisa, there you are!" He gasps out concerned. He is a slim man with dark brown hair and vibrant brown eyes. He has a chiseled face and is handsome. He has a sturdy build and towers over the woman. He wears a gray coat and thick clothing with dark brown leather boots. He carries a black backpack that appears to be heavy. He appears to be in his early 40s.

The man looks at us with shock. "Are you alright?" He asks us in a concerned voice. "Do you need anything?"

"Food." C-101 answers precisely.

The man nods. "Sure, anything to help fellow survivors." He says cordially. Distrust simmers within me. I am conflicted internally. On one hand, I remember Blake. But on the other hand, I remember Janice and the Yeager family. I take a glance at Teddy and Daphne.

Then the man's expression changes and I stiffen up. "Please, before anything, have you seen two young girls running through here?"

The woman becomes emotional. "Please, we are missing our two daughters!" Small streams of tears flow down her pale cheeks. "Have you seen them?" She asks. She begins to gesture. "Our eldest one has black hair and the other one is younger and has brown hair. The oldest is 13 and the other is nine. We are trying to look for them. They're been missing for hours!"

I shake my head. "No." Then I remember the girls. The couple appear somber. "Actually we have. But we have no idea where they went." I say.

The woman's face lights up. "Thank you!" She gasp passionately. "They're alive!" She mutters to herself.

The man appears perplexed, but grateful. "Thank you. You surely deserve a meal." He gives me a warm smile.

C-101 is uncaring about this. "We want canned food. Add water to that." He declares.

The man nods. "Surely. My wife," He gestures to the woman. "Lisa will take you to our home. If you can sleep and stay there if you like."

C-101 glares at the man full of skepticism. "Just canned foods will be nice." He insist.

The man nods. His eyes flicker to all of us one by one. "Of course. Just a thought. We got more than canned foods. We just got done hunting down some deers and rabbits."

C-101 grits his teeth. "Like I said canned foods and water." He insist urgently. "That's all." The man nods.

He gives his wife a look and Lisa promptly leads us away.

My heart is racing in my chest with anxiety. I clutch Teddy and Daphne's hands. We walk for two hours until we are lead to a house. It was a house that was made of out wood and appeared sturdy. It was a house that I believe is called a lodge. It was two stories and was appealing to look at.

"WOW!" Teddy gasp excitedly. I look at her and I smile at the excitement in her glistening eyes. Daphne is not paying attention and appears sullen.

Lisa smiles widely at us. "Come in." She offers. "It is toasty warm in here." She gestures to the freezing light snow.

She escorts us inside the house and I relish the cozy warmth. The house itself is beautifully designed, I grin at the sight of a blazing fireplace. I listen attentively to the soothing crackling of the roasting fire. The house has power given by a generator, but only a few lights are on. The rest of the house is lit up with sweet smelling candles. In the kitchen, there is a delicious aroma of cooked food emerging. My mouth begins to water.

I enjoy everything around me. I almost want to stay here. But I need to be cautious. I need to keep reminding myself that.

I look at C-101. I see his pleasure. He clearly likes this place as well. Lisa goes into the kitchen. "I'll gather up the cans and water. Relax and make yourselves at home."

I sit on the couch with a quiet Daphne and a intrigued Teddy. C-101 and Red stands and stay alert.

We wait two minutes for Lisa bring us a box of canned foods and contained water. "Here." She beams as she hands it to C-101.

"Thank you!" Teddy smiles happily.

Lisa smiles brightly. "Would you like to stay for dinner? You can sleep here if you like. We have plenty of rooms."

C-101 shakes his head. "No. No. We're fine." He says.

But Lisa is insistent. "Please. You children deserve it. You helped us and maybe even helped us find our daughters! Please. Just stay for dinner. It's the least we could do. It's very late and I'm positive you are all starving."

C-101 appears thoughtful. I am neutral towards this woman. She reminds me of Nina and Janice mixed together. I do feel slight pity for her. I can relate to her feeling of loss. A Mother losing her beloved child. Perhaps sleeping and eating here for one night will be okay. We will leave early in the morning and never look back.

My eyes flick to a window to see the snow beginning to fall heavily. It is as if the world is telling us to stay here.

"Fine. One night." C-101 declares. Lisa's face brightens up. "Thank you! Sit! Sit!" She chirps eagerly. This woman has so much youthful energy. "Hopefully when Paul comes back, Kate and Chelsy will be here for dinner."

That night, my group and I sit at the dining table. We were served a hearty meal of mashed potatoes and peas from a can and glasses of orange juice.

"Eat up." Lisa says kindly.

I take a cautious bite of the mashed potatoes and savored the salty taste of it. "This meal is great," I say.

Lisa smiles. "Thank you." She chirps.

The table is quiet for several minutes. Everyone is too occupied filling their barren stomachs to talk to anyone.

Once we are all done eating, Lisa promptly escorts us upstairs. There are plenty of rooms for us. I decide to share a room with the girls in a spacious bedroom. There is one Queen sized bed.

C-101 and Red went off to sleep in separate rooms. I crawl into the bed, completely exhausted and eager to sleep. Teddy on my right, Daphne on my left, and me in the squashed in the middle. Sitting up upright, I struggle to settle in my new surroundings. Both of the girls are fast asleep, warm and covered. Then I realize something odd. I feel dizzy.

My head begins to spin. I feel numb. My energy was falling out of me. I know this feeling. I feel fright. I recall my time with Mucker. I did not feel normal at all. My eyes begins to blinking without my permission. Exhaustion surges through me.

I begin to lose strength in my body. Most terrifying, my limbs becomes limp. I gasp for air out of fright. I lose my ability to speak as I begin to panic. What is happening?

My vision becomes hazy. Blurry….blurry...blurry...I feel myself slumping in my spot. I stare at the bedroom door, unable to move my head anymore. My heart is thundering in my chest. I want to scream out for help, but I can't. I feel weaker and weaker. I glance at Teddy and Daphne. Fear fills me to the brim. They are comasote. Neither of them are moving an inch. They almost look dead.

I want to embrace my girls to protect them. But I can't move. I keep questioning my condition. After a few seconds, I realized what is wrong with me.

I am drugged.

I am paralyzed. I feel extreme nausea and dizziness. I feel myself going under.

Then my heart jumps when I hear Lisa's voice. "Paul, I think they're under." Her voice is soft. "Take them to the basement."

My heart is jolting with fear and apprehension. I am terrified. Tears of fright swells up in my eyes, instant regret of coming here fills me. I feel guilt for my stupidity as my eyes flicks to Teddy. Teddy's slumbering face is the last thing I see before I black out.

 _ **Next chapter soon. I am working on The Avenging and this story and Mercy. Please leave reviews and thoughts.**_


	36. Trapped

_**This chapter is bit violent and perhaps disturbing. When I played the Winter chapter in Last of us. I found the idea of David and his group interesting. In a world like in Last of Us, everyone has the potential of being crazy and evil. So I am going write a darker version of that chapter. Enjoy**_.

My head is swimming. My entire body is tingling madly. I feel something freezing clutching to my wrists. I am unable to move an inch. I am shivering, coldness hugs my skins like a vice. When I open my eyes, my vision is blurry, I can barely make out anything. I am disoriented, I feel my body swirling.

When my vision regains, I see my surroundings. A dank and dim basement. Six feet away from me is a stone staircase with a steel door at the top. The room terrifies me. It is wide with a high ceiling. There are no windows. One dim light is flicking off and on. I see and smell blood. In the corner of the room is a lab table and chop saw coated in blood. Human limbs are scattered on the table. I open my mouth to release out a voiceless scream when I see two dead corpses. One is dismembered and the other one is positioned, leaning on the wall at the edge of the room. This one is white pale, it is a female, a woman dressed in a white gown who appears to be in her late 30s, she has straight black hair that is knotty and unkempt. Her eyes are shut and her skin is battered. Her face is covered with darkened blotches. Countless bruises are marked onto her. Her neck catch my eyes, red imprinted hand marks on her throat. Eerie silence fills the room. I see my groups, all chained up to the cemented walls.

Rusty, dark cuffs trapped all of our wrists, we were attached to the walls by the wall chains. I am baffled. All of us are on our knees, weary and exhausted.

I shake my head viciously to snap me back into reality. I feel like I am dreaming. This feels like a nightmare. I am just confused. I turn my head to see Teddy next to me. She is awake, but doesn't appear to be hurt. An alert Daphne is far away from me and is across the room with Red and C-101.

"F...Faye…" Teddy mutters weakly. I turn my head to her, she is staring directly into my eyes. My healing factor is working, I feel my strength gradually returning. I think of the horrors I saw and I want to distract her from seeing it. I have no idea how long I've been out and how long Teddy's been awake.

I put on a stone face for Teddy's sake. "Stay calm. We're fine." I tell her. Teddy begins to cry, she begins to tremble, her entire small body is full of fear. "I….I...want to go home." She weeps brokenly.

Hearing her voice like this makes me flinch.

"We are going to be fine." I reassure her in a firm voice. "Stay calm."

Teddy keeps uncontrollably crying. "Are we going to die?" She asks me with big eyes.

"No. No." I say, not knowing if I am lying or not.

"FAYE!" I hear C-101's voice call out to me. "You awake?"

I turn my head to him. "Yes." His eyes are wide with confusion and alarm. His hair is matted and unkempt. Red is naturally composed, but still appears perplexed.

"That bitch drugged us! Those people are crazy!" My fear only increases when I hear the tone of C-101's voice. His voice is shaky and small like a child.

"Faye, I saw something in one of those rooms!" C-101 expresses. "This….this...we shouldn't have come here!" I know what is he talking about. C-101 is struggling to stay calm. His eyes are frantically darting left and right. "Faye, there are limbs in this room!" He gasps.

"I know." I whisper.

"What are we going to do? Fuck!" C-101 moans miserably.

I begin to tremble, unable to control my fear any longer. "I...I...don't know…" Then as if one cue, the basement door fly open.

Me and C-101 stops talking instantly. It is dead silent. My eyes automatically look upstairs to see Paula and Lisa walking down the stairs. Paul was in front of Lisa, his eyes are empty, devoid of any humanity. He towers over Lisa and I barely see her. His facial expression is blank, no emotions seems to exist in him.

Paul is dressed in dark casual clothing, still wearing his gray coat and boots. Once Paul gets the last step, I get a good look at Lisa. Her appearance frightens me the most. The once kind and sweet woman with the maternal nature drastically changed. Her blue eyes are soulless, no light within them at all. Her face is cold and emotionless. The couple seems to be equal clones, both evil and hollow. Neither of them appeared to have any stroke of humanity within them.

Lisa looks at all of us with a blank expression. There is no compassion or empathy. I could only look at her, speechless. Paul then smiles devillishy, he appears happy by the misery he and his wife inflicted on us.

C-101 struggles to muster out words. He seemingly begins to choke on his words. "I….I….I….what….are...you going..going to do?" His voice is high pitched, cracking and squeaking.

Paul chortles at C-101. He breaks out into a wide smile. "You little punk, you really believe you're the man of the group. The only boy in a group of females." He chuckles as if this is the funniest thing he has ever seen. He saunter over to the table. "You kids are going to have a fun time here." He remarks.

I look at the dead bodies. "Why? Why?" Is all I could muster. I begin to beg. "Please let us go! Please, we will never come back! Please!" My voice is shrill.

Paul chuckles again. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna kill you." He looks me directly in the eyes. "Yet." He adds in hollow voice.

His gleeful smile turns strange. His eyes has an emotion that I didn't understand, his eyes are locked onto mine. His lips curls and he takes a step close to me. I have no idea what is on his mind, but terror makes me tremble violently.

C-101 springs to his feet and attempts to lunge at Paul. His chain keeps him restrained and far away from Paul. C-101 groans in pain from how forceful he is moved. "BACK OFF! STAY AWAY FROM HER!" He hollers.

Paul smiles widely. He burst out laughing. "Oh, tough man, huh?" He mocks. Paul turns around and makes his way to C-101. C-101 attempts to appear brave, but a flash of fear wash over his face. "An ugly looking bastard like you have a lot of nerve, talking shit to me." He belittles. Once Paul is close to C-101, he swings a hard punch across C-101's face. C-101 collapses to the floor in a heap. Paul chuckles in glee, "Let's see how tough you are." He teases cruelly. He then promptly begins to batter C-101. He punches C-101 repeatedly, C-101 is helpless with his hands bounded. He then begins to stomp his boot onto C-101's chest over and over. Paul grabs a handful of C-101's dark hair and slams his head into the hard floor.

I hear a repetitive sound of Red unleashing and retracting her claws, but with her hands bounded, she is helpless as C-101. She releases out angry screams and shrieks, attempt to attack Paul. But Red is unable to do anything, her chain is too short.

Her screams turns into breathless gasps, she exhausts out her energy, straining her voice.

Teddy is weeping heavily, I see Daphne shaking like a leaf, staring at the scene with horrified eyes. The beating stops after several minutes. Paul chuckles heartily to himself as he towers over a unconscious C-101. His eyes are swollen shut, dark bruises begin to bloom, he has already developed blotches and cuts on his face, his nose is bloody and crooked, his lips is busted, his cheeks are inflamed and swollen.

"Xander!" I shriek with worrisome tears in my eyes. I become bold upon seeing my battered friend. I raise my voice. "Enough!" I yell. "Leave him alone!"

Paul looks at me and laughs. "I like strong women." He purrs. "This world needs tough chicks like you."

I clench my teeth. "Let us go!" I shout.

Paul rolls his eyes. "Nope." He says airily. He becomes serious. The cold look reflected on his face gave me shudders, evil glints in his dark eyes. "You came into my forest. People come into my forest and they all share the same fate," He says menacingly. "All travelers are nothing but preys in my territory. I never had kids before. I want to see how much fun I can have." His eyes dances with excitement.

He takes one step to me with a broad smile on his face. "You're very beautiful, Faye. Has anyone ever told you that?" He remarks. With that, his chilly hand caress my right cheek. A chill run down my spine. Instantly, I want to vomit.

His eyes flick to Red. Red is fiercely glaring at him. Paul is still smiling. "That redhead is quite pretty as well." His voice is wispy and smooth. He disturbs me to the core. I want him to go to Red and I am intrigued to see how Red would react to him. I see Lisa, I forget that she is in the room. She is like the background, leaning on the walls from far away with her arms crossed.

"Why? Why?" I breathe. I am just confused.

Paul smiles at me. "I saw you kiddos running through my forest! Trust me, you're not the only one. Many came here and let just say none of them saw the light of day." Paul gets away from me and heads for the staircase. "LISA!" He turns his head to me and gives me a affectionate smile. "Give the beautiful young lady some soup and water. I'll take care of her friends later. Come on, let's see if we can get more folks to come in." He commands.

Lisa nods and smiles broadly at him. Paul hurries upstairs and into the hallway. Now we are alone with Lisa.

I look at C-101's grotesque body. He is still unconscious and limp. "XANDER!" I keep yelling, hoping he would stir. "XANDER! XANDER! XANDER!" Then I am interrupted by a sharp smack across the face from Lisa.

My cheek is seething with sharp pain. I look up at a furious Lisa. "Shut up, you bitch!" She snaps. "Shut the fuck up or you will have no food!" She threatens.

Teddy is silent, petrified by all of this. Daphne began to weep heavily, crying her heart out. Lisa becomes enraged by this. Her emotions seems to be on a flip on a coin. "YOU LITTLE BITCH! SHUT UP!" She roars.

Within an instant, Lisa becomes the superior person in this room. Her blank expression becomes authoritative and ireful.

She smiles evilly. "You never should have come here. Didn't your Mommy ever tell you to never trust strangers?" She teases.

Daphne cries harder in response. Lisa walks over to Daphne. She grabs Daphne by her golden hair, I begin to struggle violently as she proceeds to forcefully smack the helpless girl across the face. "STOP! STOP! STOP! NO!" I shriek. Lisa hauls the girl from the floor and begins to violently shake her like a rag doll.

Daphne instantly cease her crying. She makes out pitiful cries. Lisa snarls like a angry dog and shoves the child into the cemented wall.

"Cry again and you will be sleeping under this house!" Lisa threatens darkly. Daphne doesn't cry again, she becomes limp and doesn't move an inch. She is dead silent.

I want to rip this bitch's head off! "No! NO!" I scream. "I will end you, bitch!" I threaten. Lisa just laughs at me. "Of course," She sneers. "You're lucky," Her eyes are full of spite. "You are lucky you're Paul's newest pet."

"Pet?" I echo.

Lisa rolls her eyes as if I was stupid. "Yup. You and that redhead. Don't worry, you won't last long anyway." She says. Lisa then hobbles upstairs.

It is several minutes later when Lisa returns with a bowl of cold soup and a plastic cup of water. "Eat up." She then proceeds to cruelly toss the bowl of soup at me. The soup falls out of the bowl and splashes onto me. The bowl falls to the floor and breaks into fragments.

For some reason, Lisa becomes enraged at me for this. "Look what you made me do!" She seethe.

Before I could do anything, Lisa becomes violent towards me. She grabs my hair and begins to yank and tear at my face. Her hands becomes hard fists and she begins to punch me.

Teddy looks on with terror in her eyes. I attempt to bite her, but Lisa is nimble and shakes me erratically.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" I hear Teddy boldly shriek. Then Teddy leaps at Lisa and is able to bury her teeth into her left hand. Lisa releases out a shrill scream. Lisa yanks her hand out of Teddy's grip and jerks back. "You little bitch!" Lisa cry. With that, Lisa wraps her hands around Teddy's throat and jerk her violently to the side.

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!" I muster all of the authority and intensity I could summon. "NEVER TOUCH HER! EVER! FUCK OFF!" I feel no fear anymore. I am ready to rip this woman in shred. I run towards her, but my chain restrains me, Lisa pulled Teddy too far away for me to get to her. Lisa begins to yank Teddy's raven hair, tugging and ripping out Teddy's hair. She shakes Teddy viciously, screaming and yelling out dirty obscenities. Teddy is screaming out in protest, forcefully attempting to escape Lisa's grip. "STUPID LITTLE BITCH!" Lisa gives Teddy a sharp slap across the face and cease the beating. She releases Teddy. Teddy is sobbing brokenly, she curls up into a feeble ball. Her small face is covered in bloody bruises, her hair is knotty and matted. There are red lines imprinted onto her face.

"Do that again and you will regret the day you were born!" Lisa warns.

Lisa glares at me with hatred. "You think you're better than me?" Her eyebrows arches. "You are going to get it!" She turns around to the staircase. "Don't be shocked when your little sidekick isn't next to you tomorrow." She sings. Then she hurries upstairs. The second she is gone, Teddy weakly crawls near me.

I want to embrace Teddy and Daphne. "Daphne, Teddy, are you okay?" I shout.

Daphne is a mute. Teddy is just trembling uncontrollably. "I….I….I...want my Dad…" She murmurs.

….

I have no idea how long we were imprisoned here. It feels like an eternity. I wake up with a foggy head. Since there are no windows, I have no clue if it is nighttime or daytime. I assume it is morning. My stomach is empty and aching.

I look up to see C-101 finally conscious. He was comatose for a long time. His healing factor took it's sweet time. His face is slightly healing and going back to normal.

I remember what he did for me. I did like that he stood up for me. It's good to know he doesn't entirely hate me. "Xander, thanks." I say sincerely.

C-101 is breathing heavily. He doesn't look me in the eyes, his eyes are glued to the floor. "We need to escape from this hellhole." He proclaims. "We're going to die."

C-101 instantly turns his head to Red. I look at her. Her wrists are bloody from her struggling. Her hands are coated in crimson. I realize how damaging her claws were to herself. When her claws are unleashed, her skin breaks. Her healing factors cares for it immediately, but Red was excessively unleashing her claws, giving her factor a load of healing to do. She has no wounds anymore, but her hands are caked in dry blood. She is drenched with sweat, her red hair is matted, and her eyes has heavy bags under them. She is exhausted to the brim.

C-101's expression softens. "Red, relax with your claws. Your hands looks terrible. I'm sure your claws will do nothing anyway."

Red avoids looking C-101 in the eyes and exhales deeply. She becomes limp and stares at the floor in defeat.

C-101 looks at the floor in dismay. "Damn! I am such a fucking idiot. I should have known some bullshit was up. They were too nice to us. All we did was run into them and they offered us shit! I should have known that was not normal!" He scolds himself.

"This isn't your fault." I tell C-101. C-101 exhales. "It is." He insist.

"Look at us! We are imprisoned in some psycho's basement!" C-101 points out. "I should have seen this coming! Who knows what's going to happen to us!"

C-101 exhales and inhales to calm his frizzled nerves. When he composes himself, he turns his head to me. "What happened when I was out?" He inquires.

I take in a deep breath. "That man, Paul...he..beat you up and he talked to me...called me beautiful and touched my face. It...was...weird...He left and Lisa stayed. Lisa hit Daphne." Tears swells up in my eyes. "She beat her and slapped her and threw her against the wall! She threw food at me and hit me! Teddy! Teddy was hit by that crazy bitch! THEY ARE BOTH INSANE!" I spill.

"We are in deep shit." C-101 whispers.

"How do we get out of here?" Teddy gasps.

C-101 exhales deeply. "I don't know. We're chained up. We can't break out of them. I don't know." He says.

There is a deep and long silence. I think of Laura. The reason why we are traveling in the first place. To find that girl and get to a Quarantine Zone. I think about the two girls I met in the forest.

I wonder if those two girls lured us here somehow. I wonder if the couple were lying about having daughters and those girls were just orphans. So many questions are racing through my mind. The horrible smell of the dead bodies in the room is overwhelming.

I hear footsteps stomping through the house. I hear more footsteps than normal. I hear Lisa's domineering yelling. "BEDROOM! NOW! YOUNG LADY! DON'T FIGHT ME!" She roars. I hear the weeping of a little girl. I hear heavy stomping under a flight of stairs.

I believe they have found another innocent victim.

For several hours, I hear Paul and Lisa talking among each other. Their voices are casual and joyful. Lisa's youthful and childish giggling echoes through the house. It is as if they are a happy family, living a normal life.

I am starving. Everyone is silent, awaiting for Paul or Lisa to arrive.

I then hear shrill shrieking from upstairs. A girl's shrill shriek. I hear another girl's voice, yelling and shouting furiously. I immediately know who this is. The older girl we met in the forest. Kate.

Kate's voice escalates through the house. Her words are harsh and vicious. "NO! FUCK YOU, YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER! YOU CRAZY BITCH! GET OFF OF HER! NO! NO!" She screams.

I hear a heavy thud and Kate screams out in pain. The screaming stops. I hear a deafening door slam and furious footsteps departing.

"I WILL TALK TO YOUR FATHER!" Lisa hollers. The house is dead silent for a few minutes. It is like no one is in the house now. Then I hear Lisa's yelling again. Now she is closer to the basement door. "DO IT! Or I will tell your Father!" Lisa threatens someone.

Then the basement door is jerked open. I see a blank faced Kate with a bowl of soup in her hands heads downstairs to us. She is quiet. Lisa watches Kate like a hawk from the top of the staircase. Kate has blooming bruises on her face as she hobbles down the stairs. I see Chelsy standing next to Lisa, but I can't see her facial expression.

Kate is obedient and gives me a bowl of warm soup. She doesn't look at anyone else. Once she gives me the food, she scurries upstairs wordlessly.

Lisa glares at me and slams the door loudly.

I feel sick to my stomach. I have no idea of what to do. I am helpless. We are all helpless. I decide to rest, my body is exhausted already. No energy resides within me. I close my eyes, scooting close to my Teddy as much as possible.

 _ **Next chapter will come soon. Hope this storyline isn't too grim or graphic. Reviews and thoughts. This is just a darker version of the Last of Us Chapter of Winter.**_


	37. Trapped Part 2

_**After this chapter, I possibly will resume my writing of the The Avenging and Mercy. Enjoy this chapter.**_ _ **Warning: Graphic and has dark themes.**_

Cold fingers dig into my skin. My eyes snaps open and all I see is Paul's face. Terror fills me to the brim. Chills runs down my spine. Paul's eyes are full of determination. He is like a predator staring down at its prey. There is duct tape stuck onto my mouth, making me more helpless.

I look into Paul's eyes. Paul is smiling broadly at me. "Wakey, wakey." He chirps in my ear, his hot breath is directly in my ear. He is on his knees, bent over me. I am unsettled. My stomach twists violently with fear.

Paul proceeds to put his left hand on my shoulder. I begin to tremble uncontrollably when his hand begins to inch down. He digs his nails into my shirt, eagerly tugging it. His other hand press against my right thigh. He inches upward and I begin to twist and squirm violently. I release out muffled screams as I madly toss and turn. I kick my legs wildly. Paul takes his hands away with a angry cry.

I keep thrusting my body blindly until Paul grabs my shoulders to halt me. I jerk violently to escape his grip, but he holds me like a iron vice. "Be quiet!" He demands harshly. Impulsively, I turn my head away to avoid looking at him. In response, he then roughly grabs hold of my chin, forcing my face towards him with brute force, causing my neck to jerk violently. Sharp pain surges through my body like a tidal wave. It only takes a second for me to realize that I pushed Paul to his red line. He is no longer smiling, his face contorted with rage, his lip turns into a wrathful scowl.

"Listen, do not move." He says in a menacing voice. "Be a good girl and stay still." He then proceeds to aim his hand to my chest. I start screaming again, thrusting violently like a fish on a hook.

SLAP! I receive a resounding slap across the face. The sound of the slap pierces my ears and echoes throughout the room. The slap is so hard that my vision becomes blurry. I cease my erratic movement.

"You want to live, don't you?" Paul asks. "Then don't move!" He barks. I stiffen myself out of fear. I have no idea of what to do. My surroundings are nonexistent. I believe I am still in the basement, but I notice nothing around me. I am only focused on Paul.

Paul's hands gently strokes my hair again, he rubs my neck slowly and tenderly. I begin to shake like a leaf. He speaks in a very gentle voice. "You are really special, Faye."

Then Lisa opens the basement door. "PAUL! WE HAVE GUESTS!" She shouts out. Paul removes his hands away from me, a flash of displeasure appears on his face. He looks up at his wife with a grimace. "Could you wait?" He snarls. I finally get a sense of my surroundings. I realize that I have been moved. The basement is quite spacious, I'm now bound to a pipeline across the room. I am at least nine feet away from the others, but still nearby the staircase. The others are still alive, but all of them has duct tape silencing them.

"No. Come on." She urges precisely. She then beckons him to come upstairs. Paul release out a disappointed sigh as he stands up and walks up the stairs. "Lisa, watch them. Make sure no one moves. I want to have a little fun with these kids as soon as possible."

Paul disappears into the hallway, I feel a wave of relief once he is out of sight. Lisa marches downstairs, her heavy footsteps emphasizes sheer loathing. I hear my name several times as she hobbles downstairs.

Lisa comes downstairs finally and glares at everyone. "I want no trouble out of you!" She shouts out in a domineering voice.

No one makes a sound. Lisa scans her surroundings, her blue eyes flashes and she hurries deeper into the basement. She is out of my sight for a few seconds, then she returns to the center of the room with a box. Lisa now has a wicked smile on her face, her face is contorted with devilish glee. She puts the box down and proceeds to grab a hammer out of the box. She flaunts the hammer with a grave look. "If anyone of you move an inch, I will bash your little skulls in. We have guests, so you need to not make a peep!" Lisa intimidates.

Then as if on cue, I begin to hear unfamiliar voices emanating from upstairs. The door is opened a slight ajar and the walls are not soundproof. I hear a male and a female voice and a teenage boy's voice. The woman has a light voice, she is appreciative and is heard crying. "Thank you! Thank you! We've been traveling for days without food or sleep! Thank goodness, there are kind people like you in this world."

Paul's voice echoes. His voice is similar to how he spoke to us. Warm, cordial, and affable. It is like there is another person. "Of course, times are tough here. I personally believe everyone should pitch in and help each other."

I hear the woman sniffing loudly. "Thank you! Thank you, Paul." She croaks thankfully. The man speaks very little, but when he does speak, his voice is loud and firm. "Thanks, man. Thanks for saving our asses out there. If you need help with anything, just ask."

I hear footsteps walking through the house. The woman has ceased her crying and is in high spirits. "Your home is beautiful!" She compliments cheerfully. "I would love to have a home like this!"

It is terrifying how casual all of this is. Paul and Lisa looks normal, there is nothing menacing or terrifying about their appearance. The couple chatters with Paul with no fear or caution. I hear the family wandering the living room/kitchen area.

Time seems to linger. Lisa sits idly on the last stair step, eyeing us to make sure we do not move. She brandish her hammer with a cruel glint in her baby blue eyes.

I actually prefer Lisa than Paul. Paul makes me feel disturbed. I feel sheer fear when I am around him. With Lisa, I feel fear as well, but with a mixture of annoyance. But she is at least predictable. She clearly has a sharp temper, ready to lash out with great fury. Every time, her eyes land on me, all I see is disgust, scorn, and hatred directed to me. Paul hauntingly reminds me of Winters. My tormentor for several years. The man who tortured and hurt me. But terrifyingly, Paul is possibly worse.

Then abruptly I hear the woman release a bloodchilling scream. The scream is long winded and vibrates through the house. I hear the forceful sound of metal colliding with a solid. The woman is still screaming at the top of her lungs. I hear a loud thud and the screaming turns into soft weeping.

"NO!" I hear the man shout, desperate, rapid footsteps shakes the house.

I hear one single gunshot and the deafening sound of a body falling to the floor. It is dead silent for two seconds. I then hear the boy frantically hyperventilating.

"D...DAD...MOM…" The teen laments. I hear the boy charge at Paul with a revengeful scream. I hear a booming thud to the floor. The boy is putting up a good fight, I hear them tussling and wrestling on the floor. But the fight is short lived and ends instantly when I hear the sickening sound of a neck being snapped.

Only the woman is still alive, she is crying her heart out. Terrified and mournful. "LISA! HELP ME OUT!" Like a obedient dog, Lisa sprints up the stairs.

The woman starts sobbing heavily, she begins to plead for mercy. "NOOOO!" She snivel.

She begins to shriek in agony. I hear a resounding slap and Lisa's cruel laughter.

They torture and torment this woman for a single hour. I have no idea what exactly they are doing to her. I hear the sound of metal colliding to solid again, the woman shrieks out in pain repeatedly. One...two...three..four….six….seven.

"Lisa, here, Honeybuns, you take her boots and coat. They're very nice, aren't they?" Paul says in a casual voice. Lisa giddily squeals. "Thank you, baby!" She cooes dreamily.

There is a long silence. I assume the woman is dead.

I hear Lisa giggling dreamily. "I think she's dead, babe. What now?" She chirps. It is quiet for a moment until Paul speaks. "No. She's just knocked out. Let's finish her off quickly."

"Get the girls." He adds. Lisa complies. She raises her voice. "KATHERINE AND CHELSY! COME DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!" She bellows. I hear light footsteps emerging from upstairs.

"I'm going to check up on the kids down there." Lisa says. She hurries to the basement and pops out her head into the basement.

"DO NOT MOVE!" She barks. Then she slips back into the hallway and closes the door. The house is dead silent now.

I exchange a long look at my entire group. None of us has anything to say. I just listen attentively to my surroundings.

I hear Kate's stiff voice, she is speaking lowly, so I can't make out what she is saying. Lisa's domineering voice is heard throughout the house. "YOU BETTER DO EXACTLY WHAT ME AND YOUR FATHER SAY!" I then hear the sound of a sharp slap and a girl's responding scream.

The intractable voice of Chelsy pierce the air. "NO! NO! I'M NOT HELPING YOU! YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER!" She shrieks.

Lisa's voice becomes shrill and infuriated. "WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME?" Then I hear Lisa pounce on Chelsy. Chelsy shrieks and cries in protest. I hear repetitive thuds to the ground. I assume Lisa is attacking Chelsy and Chelsy is fighting back.

The scuffle is short lived when Paul finally intervenes. His voice becomes stern. "Chelsy, go to your room! NOW!" He yells.

I hear Chelsy's hasty footsteps descending the scene. Lisa is still infuriated. "That daughter of yours is a brat!" Lisa complains. "I am sick of her!"

Paul doesn't seem to care. "Let's just dispose of these bodies, Lisa."

Lisa exhales heavily, but compiles. I hear the bodies being dragged through the living room and towards the basement. Lisa opens the door, I see Paul carrying the battered woman in his arms. Kate is behind them. She is ashen white.

Once the couple arrives downstairs, I get a good look at the woman. She is tall with brown hair. She is battered terribly. Bludgeoned multiple times in the head. Her head has a deep gash that is pouring blood onto the floor and onto her face. The blood forms a crimson mask. Her eyes is a dark purplish color and is swollen shut. Countless abrasions and cuts on her skin, her cheeks are swollen, and her lips are bloody. It is a miracle that she is alive. I see her chest slowly moving up and down.

"Kate, watch the others. Me and Lisa will take care of this woman." Paul says calmly. Kate appears shaken, but she nods in obedience. She sits down on the last step, looking at all of us. We are all silent. None of us speaks once, none of us even move. I hear Lisa giggle for a second, then I hear the sound of a chainsaw.

The sickening sound of a chainsaw shredding through flesh makes me nearly vomit. I'm lucky compared to everyone else. I can't see the couple because they are across the room. The one that is the closest is Daphne. I hear Daphne gagging and crying at the same time.

Once the dismemberment is finished, the horrid smell of iron fills the air. I hear the couple removing the stones out of the floor. I'm guessing that the floors titles can be removed because I hear the sound of a rock colliding with the floor.

I hear the couple promptly stuffing limbs and body parts into the floor. Then the title is put back on.

Lisa sighs. "I'm going to clean up," Her voice becomes stern. "Talk to your daughter first! I have no patience for that little brat!"

Paul seems annoyed. He takes a deep breath. "Fine, I will. Make sure this place is spotless because I have plans afterwards."

Paul storms upstairs. Lisa begins to clean up the scene. She proceeds to grab a mop and dips the mop into a prepared bucket. I hear incoherent shouting and yelling on the upper floor. The argument is short lived and Paul returns hastily. Paul orders Kate to go upstairs and Lisa continues to diligently clean. Paul makes his way to me, sauntering with a broad smile.

"Faye," He breathes. "Sadly, me and you were interrupted by my wife. But I want to show you something." He says in a gentle voice. I can only stare at him. He then proceeds to unlock my wall chains, but doesn't free me from the duct tape or the handcuffs. I consider kicking and thrusting, but I am afraid he will beat me. I nearly fall, my legs are weak and unsteady. I feel dizzy and disoriented. Paul keeps me steady and proceeds to take me upstairs. I look back at my group, terrified of what awaits me.

The house is silent. So silent you could hear a pin drop. I see the other bodies. The man and the teenager. Both of them are stripped naked, their clothes neatly folded on the living room coffee table. The man has no injuries, just a single bullet hole in his forehead. The boy's neck is unnaturally twisted. I avert my eyes, I have never seen so much brutality before. I feel my mind unraveling.

"Sit." Paul orders. He escorts me to the dining table. There are lit candles on the table. Paul sits me down at the end of the table. He sits at the other end with a smile. "Beautiful day, Faye." His voice is mellow. "Faye, I have grown to really like you." He gives me a toothy smile.

"It's been long since I seen a pretty face."

I attempt to speak, but my words are muffled. Paul's eyes dart to the tape. "Oh, is that what you alluding to, Sweetheart? Well Lisa complained to me that your little friend bit her. So I took the precautions to tape all of your mouths." He explains.

I begin to tremble in terror. I hate being so helpless! Paul notices this. "Don't worry, I'm only going to kill your friends, not you. You are too beautiful and petite to die." He assures me. "Just don't try to escape." He adds gravely.

I shake my head in objection. I think about Teddy, Daphne, Red and C-101 and tears flow down my cheeks. Paul enjoys this. "Cry if you want, let out all of your emotions." He praise.

Paul then makes small talk with me. "Look, I want to be nice to you, Sweetheart. So I released you to give you fresh air." He tells me.

Then Paul just stares at me, his face is odd. He looks at me with a dreamy facial expression.

Then I hear the shrill scream of Daphne. Her scream is long winded and bloodcurdling. Before I could realize it, I find myself jolting out of my chair and towards the basement door. I do not make it to the door. Paul tackles me to the floor and promptly violently beats me. "WHAT DID I TELL YOU?" He snarls furiously.

Teddy is shrieking in protest. "NO! NO! NO! NO!" I hear C-101 shouting and Red screaming. I am impacted with a powerful fist to the nose. I tumble to the floor on my butt with a broken nose. Blood pours from my nostrils.

I have pushed Paul over the line. It is terrifying how drastically everything changed. The man is beastly, his face is contorted with unbridled rage. "I FUCKING WARNED YOU! NOW I HAVE TO TEACH YOU A LESSON!" He hiss. I am stunned, too terrified to move. Paul walks away from me, he stops by the basement door and pauses. His body is fuming with rage. He then looks at me with a thoughtful look. "I have a better idea." He says. With that he yanks me from the floor and proceeds to take me down to the basement. I am baffled to what he is going to do with me. I begin to struggle against him. Kicking, wiggling violently, anything I can to get away from him. But he keeps hold of him and takes me to the last step.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHA!" I release out a muffled, primal screech at the sight of an enraged Lisa throttling Daphne.

"YOU LITTLE BITCH!" She snarls. I attempt to throw myself at Lisa, but Paul is holding me like a vice. He keeps me in place so I could watch.

Lisa's hands strangles Daphne. Daphne is white pale, her eyes are bulging and bloodshot. Teddy is screaming at the top of her lungs, Teddy is on her feet, desperately pulling against her restraints. C-101 is yelling out incoherently, Red is yanking against her restraints with no luck. Daphne is kicking feverishly, she squirms and twists as violently as she could. But Lisa's grip only immenses and Daphne becomes limp. Paul smiles brightly at me.

I fall to my knees when Daphne dies from asphyxiation. The world begins to swirl around me. My mind goes blank. I lose feeling in all of my limbs. Every second I hear turns into a distant echo, I fall face first to the floor and I faint.

 _ **Leave reviews and thoughts. I am going to be writing my other stories so enjoy this for awhile. Give me your opinions and thoughts. Don't be afraid to look at my other stories. Thank you for reading.**_


	38. No Return

I wake up in the basement. Handcuffed to a pipeline on my knees. The duct tape is removed from my mouth and I am able to breathe the air. Teddy is curled up into a ball, her back is to me. She is silent, so silent that I am sure that she is fast asleep. I watch her movement keenly, her chest heaves up and down, reassuring me that she is alive.

I am exhausted mentally, emotionally, and physically. I feel like I have been stabbed directly in the heart. The sheer agony slashes through my flesh. I can't feel my limbs, it is almost like they are nonexistent.

C-101 and Red are still chained and cuffed. Exhausted and weak. I don't believe any of us has eaten or drink.

I stare at the staircase, worrying that Paul or Lisa will come. It is utterly silent in the house. My eyes then scans the room, I do not see Daphne. I begin to believe that the scene I saw was just a horrible nightmare. But that thought is short lived. I couldn't deny or dismiss the event I have witnessed. Daphne was throttled by a furious Lisa. I was upstairs with Paul. Teddy, C-101, and Red were all in hysterics. I watched Daphne die. I failed her.

All I want to do is apologize. I failed her. I failed to protect her, I failed to bring her to her family. With a heavy heart, I look at Teddy. My only remaining child I have.

I hear soft sounds emerging from her. I use all of my strength to yank my chain, so I could make my way to her. I lean over her and I see her wide eyes staring at the wall.

Her face is contorted with dejection and grief.

"Teddy…." My voice is hoarse. Teddy doesn't answer me. She seems to be in her own world, trapped in a self induced trance.

Tears exits Teddy's eyes without warning.

I keep talking. I need to talk to someone. My own mind is beginning to unravel. I feel like I am hanging off the end of a thread. "Teddy, I am sorry….please...talk to me...let's talk…" I croak desperately.

Teddy still doesn't answer me. I feel completely alone.

I see C-101 sitting nearby a slumbering Red. C-101 appears utterly exhausted and depressed. I need to speak to someone.

"What happened?" I croak.

C-101 doesn't look me in the eyes. "She's dead." He mutters.

"What happened?" I repeat.

"L...Lisa….killed her. They…...took her body….and...and…" He seems to be choking on his words. He had pent up horrors inside of him. "Daphne is gone."

I can't prevent my mind from envisioning what happened to her body. Her limbs dismembered and cruelly stuffed away into the titles of the basement.

I feel the bile rising in my throat. I swallow hard. "What do we do?" I ask weakly.

"I don't know…" C-101 croaks. His voice is weak and raw.

I pull at my restraints as roughly as I could. Hatred boils in my chest. Homicidal thoughts brews within my mind. In the deepest, darkest parts of my psyche, I imagine myself killing Lisa and Paul. I want their deaths to be slow and painful.

"Teddy…...please…..just….say something…" I beg. This time Teddy stir. She manages to turn over, her hair was disheveled, her face is pale, her eyes floods with misery.

"Daphne is dead….." Teddy whispers weakly.

I take in a deep breath. I struggle to keep myself from breaking down. "I know…" I murmur.

Teddy's eyes lowers to the floor. "She's dead…..she's dead…." Tears flows down her face. Teddy's despondent state evokes a powerful wave of pity and compassion.

I desire to hug her.

Teddy exhales dismal. Her eyes finds the ceiling. "I…..I….can't….believe it…..she's dead….why?"

I inhaled. "Teddy, we need to escape.." I say quietly.

Teddy sits upright. "How?"

I say nothing. I contemplate to myself. Then I remember the girls. Chelsy and Kate. "Maybe we could ask them for help!" I say. Then as if on cue, the basement door opens and Chelsy comes down the stairs.

"Chelsy," I blurt out. "Help!" I fear that Paul or Lisa would hear me as soon as I said that. Chelsy's eyes lights up.

She is cautious and make sure to close the door as slowly as she could. "Be quiet." She whispers to me.

I arch an eyebrow in confusion.

"I want to help you." My hopes burst out of my chest. I couldn't help the relief pouring out of my eyes.

I glance at Teddy, her face was sealed with skepticism. "Why?" Mistrust is prominent in her tone. "Why should we trust you?"

Chelsy responses to this by digging into her pockets and pull out a handful of keys. "I managed to get some of my Dad's keys."

"I'll free you and then we will all run away." Chelsy promises. I say nothing. At this point, I have no objection. I'm desperate. It is silent within the house. "Lisa and Paul are evil, both of them!" Chelsy hiss. I see the defiance in her eyes.

"CHELSY!" I frown in dismay at the sound of Lisa's yell emerging from upstairs. Before anyone could react, Lisa opens the door to see Chelsy standing on the last step with the silver keys in her hand.

I felt my stomach churned.

"Chelsy!" Lisa's face reddens. "I knew you were a traitor. You and your sister are both traitors!" Her voice is venomous. Her eyes were prominent with hatred and bitterness. "Your Father needs to teach you a lesson! Who the fuck do you think you are?"

A flash of fear appear on Chelsy's face. Her skin turns ashen, her hands turns into shaky fists. She bites her lower lip.

Lisa gives her a callous glare. "I told you what would happen!" She snarls. I then notice a handgun in her pants.

Tears of misery overflows out of Chelsy's eyes. She dropped the keys onto the floor and breaks down. "NO! NO! PLEASE!" Chelsy sobs.

Lisa's eyes flick to me. Her animosity is directed at me. "Faye," Then she briefly looks at Teddy. "And you, I have a little job for you two." She smiles wickedly.

Lisa walk down the stairs, Chelsy becomes useless. She is stiff as a statue. Paralyzed with terror. Lisa picks up the keys. She is inches away from Chelsy. SLAP! Lisa gives Chelsy a sharp slap across the face. It is so hard that Chelsy doesn't scream. She falls to the floor and lands on her butt. Chelsy chokes out broken sobs and cowers.

Malice dances in Lisa's eyes. My mind is blank, I'm weak from the lack of hunger and thirst. Lisa unlocks me. But she keeps my handcuffs on. I am limp and didn't move.

"Fucking worthless cunt!" Lisa hiss. I ignore her and remain silent. I catch a glimpse of C-101 and Red watching this. They are speechless and exhausted.

I see C-101 struggling to vocalize something to me, but is unable to.

"You…..killed…...Daphne." Teddy cries as Lisa unlocks her. Lisa glares at her and becomes infuriated from Teddy's soft crying. She yanks Teddy's hair roughly, causing Teddy to shriek. "You little bitch, unless you want to be like your little friend, be quiet!" Lisa barks.

Teddy clenches her teeth and Lisa releases her. "Come. Now." She gestures to her handgun. "If you try anything, I will put holes into the both of you!" She warns gravely.

Teddy's facial expression is hardened. I find the strength to stand up. I want to murder this woman. I want to rip her little throat out. But she has a gun. Even if I infect her, she will kill Teddy and me. I resolve myself to be obedient.

"Teddy, come on." I utter. I grab her hand without asking. Teddy gives Lisa a resentful look, but stays close to me.

Lisa heads upstairs and roughly yanks Chelsy to her feet. Chelsy keeps weeping hysterically. "No! NO!" Chelsy bawls.

Lisa drags Chelsy up the stairs. She feverishly screams and sobs. I ignore her pitiful cries as I escort Teddy behind her. I enter the kitchen/living room. Daylight basks the house.

"No! Please, just stop! I made a mistake!" Chelsy pleads. "Please, Lisa, just stop!" Chelsy pulls back and begins to tussle with Lisa. "Where is my Dad?"

Lisa is not having it. She swings her fist into Chelsy's throat. "You little bitch, you deserve this! I warned you!" Lisa hiss. "Your Daddy can't help you! He is out!"

Chelsy sobs brokenly. Lisa ignores this, she shoves Chelsy to the floor. Pathetically, Chelsy weeps to herself helplessly.

Lisa goes into the kitchen and within two seconds, she returns to us with a eight inch kitchen knife. "I have a little job for you two." Lisa says vaguely. Sadism glints in Lisa's eyes.

"Like what?" Teddy croaks. She reverts back to a small child and hides behind me.

An evil smile grows on Lisa's face. "You'll see."

Lisa yanks up Chelsy and orders all of us to go upstairs.

Once we were all upstairs, Lisa goes into a small bedroom. I see a slumbering Kate in her bed. Chelsy is behind all of us and is on the verge of a emotional meltdown. Chelsy hugs herself, trembling violently, she leans on the wall, her tearful eyes are fixated on her sister. Lisa turns her head to Chelsy. "Do not say a word. Or I will put a bullet in your sister's head." Lisa threatens.

With that, Lisa gently closes the door. Kate is deep in slumber. Lisa grins as she showcases her knife to me and Teddy.

"What?" Teddy whispers.

"Which one of you will do it?" Lisa asks vaguely.

It is silent. I realize what she wants us to do. I have taken lives multiple times throughout my life. But murdering a child is atrocious. I never once considered harming a minor. Lisa narrows her eyes furiously. She becomes impatient. "Fine." Lisa whispers coldly. Without warning, Lisa grabs Teddy's right arm and puts the knife into Teddy's hand. "Take it!" She whispers harshly.

Teddy begins to shake, her eyes widens. "Wh...what…..why?" Teddy gulps. I struggle to compose myself. No thought enters my head and I grab Teddy's shoulder. "No!" I whisper. Lisa gives me one look and swiftly she grabs the gun and directs it at me. I jerk back instinctively and freeze. Teddy begins to hyperventilate. "Don't even try. Kate is a heavy sleeper. Make all of the noise you like," Lisa gestures to a broken Chelsy. "Blame this little bitch for this."

"Girl, go over to her and slit her throat." Lisa instructs Teddy in a hollow voice. My mind goes blank, all I see is the gun pointed at my head.

"Do it." Lisa commands.

"Don't kill Faye!" Teddy begs.

"Do it! Or I will kill the both of you!" Lisa warns. "NOW!" Teddy shakes uncontrollably. "I….I..DON'T THINK I CAN!" She shrieks.

Lisa is apathetic. "Do it! Or your friend dies." Lisa inches the gun closer to my face. Teddy appears to be in a self induced trance. In her daze, her quivering eyes flick to the knife. Teddy inhales and exhales heavily.

"I will…" Teddy croaks with fresh tears.

I find my voice. It is small and weak. "No...I will do it!" I say. Lisa doesn't care. She is adamant about forcing Teddy to do this evil deed.

Teddy weakly staggers to the side of the bed. Teddy is trembling violently, she could barely keep the knife steady. At this point, I did not care about the gun. My legs were wobbly from the exhaustion, my mind was empty, I feel pure numbness. I turn my head to Teddy.

I see Teddy mouth the words, "I'm sorry." Then I watch Teddy proceed to draw a red line on Kate's throat. Kate wakes up instantly, but is only able to utter out a startled scream. Teddy manages to cut through her throat, a spew of blood sprays from Kate's throat. Kate's screams turns into choking gurgling. Teddy is splattered in blood, with a pitiful sob, she successfully slit Kate's throat, killing her instantly. Time seems to slow down. At this moment, I experience my very first panic attack. The thoughts are accelerating inside my head. I want them to slow so I can breathe but they won't. My breaths come in choking gasps. Every passing second I feel like I'm going to faint. My heart is hammering inside my chest. The room spins, giving me vertigo. I feel so sick.

Teddy backs away, she heaves and clutches her stomach. She gasps for air desperately. Her eyes bulges. She proceeds to vomit violently onto her feet. With powerful willpower, I fight my mental sickness and sprint to Teddy. I fully expect Lisa to shoot me in the head, but I do not care. I hear Lisa's cruel laughter behind me. I throw my handcuffed arms around Teddy. I am unable to physically hug her, so I press myself against her as a alternate sign of affection.

"Teddy!" I break down into tears. "I'm sorry!" I sob. Teddy's silence only makes me hysterical. My sobs were uncontrollable and long winded. Teddy is limp, she stares into space, and stays silent.

"Good job, Teddy!" Lisa rejoices. She has wicked smile on her face.

Chelsy's grieving sobs echoes through the somber room.

Lisa raises her voice. "Go back to the basement with the others!" Lisa yells at us. Lisa seems to be enjoying all of this mayhem. "You know, Faye, your little kid is talented with knives." She tease.

I ignore her. When I am free, I will make sure that Lisa has a slow and painful death.

But in my current state, I'm helpless. I still hear Chelsy's sobbing. I feel nothing for her. Teddy is now a murderer because of her.

"Lisa, we have guests!" I hear Paul yell out from downstairs. Lisa flinches. "He's back already!?" She mumbles to herself. She then shoots me and Teddy a cold look. "Do not misbehave." She warns.

Without thinking, I glare at Lisa. "I hope Paul slit your throat after he sees what you did." I say bitterly.

Lisa appears offended. She aims the gun at me, her face is beet red. "Do it." I say boldly.

Lisa grits her teeth. Her nostrils flares. Her finger is glued to the trigger.

"LISA! Where are you, Sweet Pea?" Paul shouts. Lisa narrows her eyes. "You are lucky." She hiss. She lowers her gun.

I hear chattering from downstairs. A another set of victims awaiting their fate. Within seconds, Lisa masks her callous, psychotic personality with the facade of a innocent, kind hearted woman. "Kids, come downstairs with me. You're going to play pretend today." Lisa instructs.

"No." I object. "Go fuck yourself."

Rage engulfs Lisa's eyes. "Do as I say or I will kill you and all of your little friends." I feel my heart thundering. I just want to kill her at this moment. But instead I give in. I nod. Once I do, Lisa uses her free hand to dig into her pocket and pull out a key. With that, she frees me from my handcuffs with the gun still pointed at me.

"Good." Lisa says. Then she raises her voice. "Sweetie, I will be downstairs in a minute, honey. The kids made a mess!" I'm amazed of how Lisa is able to sound normal. Her voice is gentle and innocent.

"Give that brat a wash down. Go to the bathroom down the hallway. I ran a bath for myself, but she needs to be clean and presentable. She's covered in blood from head to toe." Lisa says. "Do not allow the guests in this room!"

I follow Lisa's orders, not seeking conflict. I grab clothes out of a nearby dresser. A long red sleeve shirt and dark blue jeans. I am cautious and I pop my head into the hallway to see if there is anyone around. There is no one. I hear a family talking to Paul. I hear a man, a woman, and a little girl.

All I think about is Daphne.

I clutch Teddy's limp hand as I pull her light body down the hallway. I do not look Teddy in the eyes. The bathroom door is wide open, the flickering lights of candles brightens the bathroom. I escort Teddy inside. The bathroom is tastefully decorated and is tidy. The bathtub is clean and is snow white. It is filled to the brim with lukewarm water. I force myself to look at Teddy. She leans idly against a wall, staring directly at the floor. She is silent with a empty expression.

"Ted?" I make sure my voice is gentle as can be. "Are you alright?" I want to kick myself at this moment. Of course she is not alright! I'm an idiot for asking that question. I change the subject and pretend I never said that."Teddy, you need to take a bath. Do you want me to step out?" I ask her.

Teddy says nothing. She remains motionless. I walk over to Teddy and I nudge her. Teddy stirs slightly. "You need to get the blood off of you." I say.

Teddy is quiet for a short moment. Then she finally becomes responsive and nods. She doesn't ask me to leave. Teddy prepares for her bath. I cover my eyes when she undress herself and I hear her get into the tub. Blindly, I grasp for a nearby towel on the sink counter and toss it into the tub. Once Teddy cleans herself of the blood, she gets out of the tub and I uncover my eyes. Promptly I grab a drying towel and give it to her.

After Teddy completely dries, I hand her new clothes. Once she is dressed, I grab her hand and escort her out the bathroom. "Teddy, we need to pretend to be.."

"I know." Teddy interrupts in a flat voice.

I nod. "Well we must be on our best behavior," I say. I attempt to sound cheerful to brighten the environment.

"I know." Teddy repeats. I frown at the sound of her deadpan tone.

We head downstairs, presentable. The family is still chattering with Paul. It is a large family, I swear I thought I heard fewer people in the room. Lisa is in the kitchen, serving canned food. I get a good look at the family. The woman was tall with auburn hair and green eyes. She wears thick clothing and has freckles all over her skin. The man is sturdy and muscular. He has curly dark hair and brown eyes.

I see a hard-eyed young boy with dark brown skin, black hair and brown eyes. He has a lean build and a long face. I see his brown quiver bag filled with arrows, in his possession is his archery bow. The boy appears to be older than me. Behind him are two little girls. The first one girl hauntingly reminds me of Daphne. The little girl has fair skin with brown hair dark as the Earth soil. The girl's bashful demeanor even reminds me of Daphne, she is shyly clinging to the boy like a lifeline. Her brown eyes are quivering with timidity. The second one looks to be eleven, she has strawberry blonde hair and brown eyes that are full of liveliness. The girl is scrawny, towering over the timid girl.

Then I see another set of two young girls with them. The first one is tall and graceful. The girl has thick auburn hair and high cheekbones. One of the unique things I find about her was her eyes. They were different colored. One is vivid lime green and the other is blue as the ocean. I briefly think of Laura. The girl wears thick clothing. She is chattering lively with another girl. The other girl looks nothing like the redheaded girl or the others. She is skinny and slender. She has thick light brown hair, big brown eyes, dimples, and a perpetual smile that showcased her pearl white teeth.

Both of the girls are wearing thick clothing that seems rich and luxurious. No scratch or stains. In fact, they all appeared clean. They all appear well fed and healthy. I look at my hands. For once, I notice how filthy I am. Dirt is caked in my nails, my skin is layered with filth. Teddy is clean now because she took a bath, but before she was as dirty as everyone else. These people look well off. Well as well off compared to other survivors. I wonder if Paul is going lock the girls in the basement and make them his newest "pets." None of them notice us.

I stand there with Teddy. My heart heavy in my chest, my mind overwhelmed, and my anxiety flooding my psyche.

 _Here we go._ I think.

 **Next chapter will come.**


	39. The Deal

**Chapter 39: The Deal**

 ** _I have revised the story a little by changing one of the character's name. I have changed it to Parker Kate. Finding names is generally difficult._**

The little girl's eyes locks onto mine. I grab Teddy's limp hand. My body begins to shake. She gives me a curious look for a brief moment. Then she averts her eyes as Paul engages in a causal conservation with the two adults. I am overwhelmed by the mass of people. The blonde girl looks dreamily around. She looks like she is in her own little world.

The young boy is scanning his surroundings with alert eyes. When he notices us, he studies us from head to toe. The two girls were chattering among each other, carefree as can be. Giggling and whispering to each other.

The woman's voice is lively and grateful. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for helping us! It is insane out there."

Paul smiles brightly. "No problem. Everyone should pitch in to help." He muses. The woman is on cloud nine. She has no idea she is thanking a monster.

"We should introduce ourselves." The woman beams. She gestures to herself. "I'm Carol," Then she gestures to the man. "This is Mitch." Then to the young boy. "Lincoln."

The woman's smile grows wider when she gestures to the timid little girl. "This is little Parker Kate. You can call her Parker or Kate. She goes by both." She cooes. Parker Kate clings to Lincoln, her nails digs into his shirt.

Carol burst out into a small chuckle. She looks up at the two girls and opens her mouth. The redhead girl introduces herself in a confident, lively voice. "I'm Minerva and this is," She gestures to the brown haired girl. "Lily." Lily gives Paul a affable wave. Then finally to the blonde girl. "This is Ruby." Ruby smiles brightly, she has a sweet looking face. "Hi." She gives me a cheerful wave. I thoughtlessly wave back. I look on at them and ponder about their fates. I see Lincoln glaring at Ruby, he pulls Parker Kate away from her with tensed eyes.

Chelsy is nowhere to be seen. My mind races and races. I think of ways to escape. But for now, to keep us alive, I play along. I force my voice to become causal and soft. "Hi, I'm Faye." I chirp. I seize their attention.

I pull a stiff Teddy to the people. "This is Teddy, it is a pleasure to meet you." I say politely. Carol bursts with energy, her eyes were pools of excitement. Minerva is sociable. "Hi. How are you?" She asks me. I smile at her broadly and I lie. "Good."

Carol is still chattering Paul's ears off. I notice Paul's annoyance in his eyes. I can predict Paul will end her life as painfully as possible.

I catch a glimpse of Parker Kate giving me a shy glance. Finally I hear Mitch speak. "Thank you for helping me and my family." His voice is smooth and mellow.

Lisa hobbles downstairs. "HELLO!" She squeals. "How are you?" She waltz into the living room and greets everyone. "I have prepared a big meal to everyone!" Lisa announces. My heart jumps at this. My sight is locked on Parker Kate. I feel pity for her.

Lincoln gives Lisa a skeptical look. "Why would you give us a meal for? You just met us." He questions.

Lily shoots him a stern look. "Don't be rude, Lincoln!" She scolds him. Lincoln ignores her, he still has skepticism smeared on his hardened face. "Parker Kate and I are good." He concludes. Parker Kate looks up at Lincoln and says nothing.

Ruby is overjoyed, she is bouncing up and down with a wide smile. "THANK YOU, SIR!" Ruby squealed.

Lincoln grabs Parker Kate's hand with cautious eyes. Minerva rolls her eyes at Lincoln, she turns to Paul with a sweet smile. "Please ignore Lincoln, we would love to have a meal." Minerva beams.

Lincoln is adamant about refusing to eat. I expect the adults to force him, but they say nothing. I catch a glimpse of Lisa shooting Paul a upset look. Paul doesn't seem angry at all, he smiles broadly. "It's fine. You guys can crash here for the night. We have plenty of food to share and we just like to help folks out." Paul says in a generous voice.

Lincoln is still distrustful. He turns to Mitch. "We should go back outside. We can just go camping again." Lincoln declares. Lincoln clearly knows something is wrong.

Lisa puckers her lips offended. I could tell she was struggling to contain her anger. Her offended expression is short lived and she swiftly formed a mask of happiness. "It's very cold out there. Not great weather for camping." Lisa coaxes. "Believe me, me and Paul has plenty of rooms and food to share. I promise. I'll show you to your rooms."

Lincoln ignores Lisa and pulls Parker Kate to the front door in a haste. Mitch's eyes flashes. "LINCOLN!" Lincoln stops in his track. "Come on, Lincoln. Be nice, these people are being nice to us!" Mitch rebukes.

Carol chimes in. "If you don't want to eat, fine. Go upstairs with Parker and just rest." Carol commands.

"Come on, Lincoln, stop being a killjoy!" Lily taunts. Lincoln is quiet, he gives everyone a hard stare. Parker Kate's lips quiver with hesitation. "Lincoln, can we please sleep here?" She asks in a small voice. "I'm really hungry.."

Lincoln's eyes softens as he looks down at Parker Kate. His voice becomes gentle, but still remains firm. "No, there's food in the van. We don't know these people." He explains.

I wish we had the same mentality of this boy. I think to myself enviously.

Carol shakes her head. "No, no. It is freezing cold and the van needs to be fixed. There is no heat in the van, we need a place to sleep and eat. We are eating and sleeping here, young man!" She gives Lincoln a stern look.

Lincoln sighs heavily. Parker Kate is docile in demeanor. "Please, Lincoln. They seem nice." She urges.

Lincoln gives up. He still refuses to eat the meal and Lisa promptly escorts the two upstairs. When I look upstairs, all I think of is the horrors that haunts my mind. I look down at Teddy. No energy or happiness emit from her. Teddy is sullen and silent.

I think of my group. Red and C-101 are still locked away in the basement, disheveled and malnourished. I feign a cheerful attitude. "I hope you love this meal. Lisa is a awesome cook!" I gush. Minerva smiles at me delightfully.

Lisa beckons me to the kitchen, away from Teddy and away from the sight of the family. Once she takes me into the kitchen, she roughly grabs my chin, sharp pain erupts from my jaw. I have to keep myself calm. "You better act like the sweetest girl in the world. If you break character, your friends are dead!"

I spoke through my teeth. "I will." I vow. Lisa releases my jaw. Lisa points to all of the food she prepared. "We can't serve the family the food now, because of that stubborn bastard. We need all of them!" Lisa complains in a whisper.

All I feel is loathing towards this woman. I keep my mouth though and just listen. Lisa huff dramatically. "We need to cook something else now!" Lisa fumes. "You are going to help me!" I remain silent. Lisa seems to believe my silence is defiance. "I have no time for you to be a brat, if you help me make them a meal today, you and your friends will eat." She promises me.

I still didn't talk. I nod. After that, Lisa throws out the meal into the trashcan. Me and her prepare to dig through the cabinets to find bountiful amounts of canned foods. I hear Paul keeping the family distracted at the dining table. For several minutes, me and Lisa pour cans of beans into bowls.

Once we are finished, me and Lisa diligently serves the unsuspecting family the bowls of beans. Teddy sits at the end of the table, she speaks to no one and keeps to herself. I worry greatly for her. But I have no time to approach her as Lisa orders me to check up on Lincoln and Parker Kate.

I hobble upstairs to their bedroom. I pass by Kate's bedroom with a clustered mind of thoughts. I think of Laura, the secondary reason why me and my group are traveling and I feel a pang of hatred for her. She left us, forcing us to look for her. I'm debating just giving up searching for her and just go to the Quarantine Zone to find Felix. Felix is the only person I am truly looking forward to see.

I enter their bedroom to see Lincoln putting down his quiver bag. Parker Kate is pacing around the room, gazing at her surroundings. Parker Kate sees me and gives me a small smile. I have no strength to smile back.

"Hi." I seize Lincoln's attention. He gives me a hard stare, watching my movement keenly. "What do you want?" He demands.

I did not like his tone, but I still remain composed. "I want to check on you. Make sure you two are okay." I explain mildly.

Lincoln narrows his eyes. "We're fine. Goodbye." He swats his hand at me as if I was a pesky fly. I allow this disrespect to roll down my back.

Parker Kate bites down her lower lip, giving me a shy glance. She looks like she wants to speak, but is too sheepish to.

I'm about to head out of the room when Lincoln stops me. "Wait. I need to ask you something." He says sharply. I step back into the room. "What?" I whisper.

Lincoln examines me from head to toe. "Who are you?" He probes.

"I'm Faye." I say.

Lincoln raises an eyebrow. "Faye what? What's your last name?"

I'm silent for a moment. Technically I do not have a last name. I'm literally just Faye. "It's just Faye." I conclude.

"Who are those people you're with? Are they your parents?" Lincoln inquires.

I'm silent once again. All I feel is disgust and loathing for the couple. I couldn't find the strength to lie about them being my parents. "No. I'm just living with them."

Lincoln gives me a skeptical look. "Why are they just taking in more mouths to feed?" His harsh and brash tone just irks me.

"Who are you? Who's that family of yours?" I demand sharply.

Lincoln flashes me a cold look. "None of your business." He says terse. I feel anger rising in my chest.

"You're asking my business." I point out. Lincoln rudely rolls his eyes. "You got a point. Technically they're not my family. Honestly we're a adoptive family. A bunch of people just blended together."

I squint. I examine them. The cleanliness of the family is baffling to me. "Where are you from?" I inquire.

"Maine. We all lived in a Quarantine Zone."

"What happened to it?"

"What happens to a lot of Quarantine Zones. It fell." Lincoln answers. Lincoln goes to the bed and sits.

"Sorry." He tells me. His eyes softens. "I'm sorry for being a jerk." He apologizes. "It's been long since I've been around people."

I nod. "It's fine." I feel a wave of guilt. I contemplate if I should reveal the darkness within this house. I ultimately decides against this. What is keeping Paul and Lisa from killing us all?

Parker Kate perches on the bed with averted eyes. She reminds me of Harlow's demeanor. I flash her a kind smile. Parker Kate gives me a smile back and my spirits lift. "Hi, ummm...Faye? Right?" Lincoln seizes my attention. "Hi, I should warn you to keep a good distance from one of my "siblings." The blonde one."

I raise an eyebrow. "Um...why?"

Lincoln crosses his arm. "Ruby is a little off. It's hard to explain." Lincoln elucidate. Lincoln ponders to himself as if he is debating on telling me everything. I am a stranger to him.

"She's nice and all, but...there are times when she's weird. Ruby says she hears voices….and sees things.." Lincoln stirs with uncomfort. "She seems to be confused between the line of the Infected and the living."

I am silent, taking in all of the information. I didn't think of this. Ruby seems like a normal looking child with a sweet face. She reminds me of the lively personality of Teddy. My heart begins to crack as I think of Teddy. I wonder about her mental state, I wonder how all of this will affect her in the future. I feel my head throbbing. I'm neutral towards the family. Too much is happening at one time.

"Just stay away from her." Lincoln warns me gravely.

Due to Lincoln's grave warning, I did feel cautious towards Ruby, though I'm not afraid of her.

I leave the room to go downstairs to continue my facade. The family is cheerful and friendly. Ruby runs her motor mouth, chattering the ears off of everyone. Carol is just as lively as Ruby. She is chattering with a bubbly Lisa. "Yes. Yes. I love every second of it."

I head to the dining table. "So all of your children are adopted?" Lisa smiles radiantly. Her eyes becomes dreamy. "I would love to adopt children. I always wanted to adopt ever since I was a little girl!" Lisa gushes.

I find myself chuckling softly at the irony. Yeah, you love kids so much, you force a child to slit another one's throat. Before I know it, my chuckles turn into reckless laughter. When all eyes were glued onto me, I cease my laughter by biting down on my lip. "Sorry...sorry..I was thinking of something funny!" I excuse. Ruby gives me a sweet smile and returns back to her chattering.

I sit down at the table next to Teddy. Minerva and Lily were chattering among themselves, giggling and joking in a carefree manner.

"So how did you get here?" Paul inquires, taking a sip from his glass of water.

Mitch answers precisely. "Well our Zone fell a year ago. So for a long time, we've been living in our RV, driving around to find another one."

"Wow. With all of those kids. Must be never quiet in there." Paul remarks lightly.

Carol giggles. "It is never quiet and I love it!" She beams.

Mitch is serious compared to his bubbly wife. "When the Zone fell, many of the kids were alone. There was a program me and Carol were apart of. Foster Care, basically. We take in the kids. We had a packed house in the Zone and it was always full of kids."

I listen attentively to their conservations until everyone finishes their meal. It is nighttime and I'm ordered to bring everyone to their respective room. I had to avoid Kate's room at all cost. Mitch and Carol slept in a room together and Minerva, Lily, and Ruby all sleeps in a room together. Lisa is behind me, watching me like a hawk. Teddy, due to my "obedience" was allowed to sleep in a bed tonight. Once I conduct everyone into their bedrooms, Lisa grabs my arm and yanks me to her.

"You need to convince that one kid to eat our food." Lisa tells me. I glare at her. "Why? So you can torture them?" I snap.

SLAP! Lisa gives me a sharp smack across the face. "You better do what I say before you end six feet deep!" She warns me.

"Paul wants you alive." Lisa's eyes buries into mine. "You better be grateful. For now on, you'll just be our little slave."

I fight the urge to roll my eyes. But I need to protect my group. They're the only ones I love and cherish.

"You are going to be cleaning up. If you clean up and behave, you and your buddies will live. Paul and I have no problems with having hostages."

I open my mouth to say something when I flinch at the voice of Paul. "Faye, come down here, please." I stiffen, terror floods my entire body.

Lisa rolls her eyes at me in annoyance. "What are you waiting for?" She huffs. "Go!" My heavy legs hobbles downstairs. Paul sits at the dining table, his eyes are hungry, but his smile is kind. When I sit down, he gives me a warm smile.

"You did a good job." He compliments.

I force myself to act polite. My body is tensed. "Thank you." I breathe.

"You know, Faye," He sits in a chair closer to me. I feel chills running up my spine. My legs are screaming at me to run, but I am frozen with terror.

When Paul puts a warm hand on my leg, I have to bite down on my tongue to contain my scream. "I really like you. You know. You're a glamorous girl. Not many pretty faces are around here." Paul inches closer to my face, he is so close he could kiss me on the lips. His breath is sour smelling. I stiffen.

"For a long time, me and Lisa always wanted a new member of our little family." Paul says softly.

When I hear Lisa, all I think of is Kate. Revenge fills me to the brim. "Lisa murdered Kate! She slit her throat!" I confess.

Paul is silent. He takes his hand off of my leg, he stares at me blankly.

"I know." He says. My eyes widen.

"You do?"

Paul gives me a sickening smile. "Yes. I know. Lisa is a hot firecracker. She's done this before." He explains airily. "Kate was a sweet girl, but I always knew she would never make it in this world. She's not even mine, so this death of hers is nothing but a mere incident."

Another chills runs down my spine. I feel my legs shake.

Paul gives me a humored look. "You really thought I would be upset." He teases. "That is really cute."

My heartbeats hitch when Paul gently caress my cheek. "You are family now." He tells me.

"What about my friends?" I blurt.

Paul appears thoughtful. "Do you want them alive?" He asks me.

"YES!" My voice burst out of me. Paul nods, he gives me a broad smile. "Fine, but we need a deal first."

I bite my lower lip. My heart races.

"You can be my little wife." Paul's eyes dances with a strange emotion that I did not understand.

"Wife?" I mouth. I am confused.

Paul strokes my hair gently. "Look, this world we live in," His tone is serious and direct. "life is scarce. Families falls apart. Children are rare. We as the living has the utmost responsibility to create the next generation." He places a hand on my right thigh. "This is why we are here. Why I am here. To breed the strong and kill the weak."

My lips quiver. I know what's he talking about.

"What...about Lisa?" I inquire.

"We've been trying. But….we need young ones. Special ones." He gives me a lustful smile. "Think about it. Little ones with strong genes. Little ones that will survive this world. The world must repopulate."

I begin to tremble uncomfortably. "No...no.." I protest feebly.

Paul's eyes turns hard. "I could simply just kill your little buddies. Which is it?" He dares me.

My heart pounds in my chest like a drum. My palms becomes sweaty. I bite my lower lip.

"Fine." I croak.

Paul smiles gratefully. "You can sleep with your little friend tonight."

….

My mind is racing. I sleep in the bed with Teddy restlessly. I turn and toss in my sleep.

When I get up, I'm exhausted mentally and emotionally.

Teddy is soundly asleep when I get out of bed. I move slowly to avoid waking her up. I tiptoe out of the bedroom to check on the others. Paul keeps his promises to feed my group. I catch a glimpse of a sulking Lisa entering the basement with plates of food and cups of water.

Once Lisa returns from the basement, she promptly gives me orders.

I have to clean. I have to watch the family. And I must get them to trust me so they can drugged.

Diligently, I clean up the Master bedroom as the family contently eats downstairs. I was ordered to mop up the floors and pick up the trash. I dip the mop into the bucket of water Lisa gave me. I hear the family happily talking loudly at the table. Brimful of mistrust, Lincoln refuses to eat or come downstairs. Lisa gives him a can of beans to earn his trust, but Lincoln is stubborn as a mule.

Teddy assists me with my cleaning. She is completely sullen. Her wretched state sends waves of despair through me. I have so much pressure on my mind. I really want Teddy's jovial personality to cheer me up. I need Teddy to be happy. I think of uplifting words to say to her.

"We will survive this, Ted. We will find your parents. I promise." I reassures her with a forced smile.

Teddy gives me a blank look. She is quiet for a long time.

I frown at her silence. "I promise, Ted. We will."

Teddy finally speaks to me. "How?" She asks me.

I find myself speechless. I have no answer to that. Teddy examines me skeptically. This ten year old child is intelligent for her age, she knows I am hiding something.

Teddy never asks about her parents once. She continues to clean with me.

As I mop the floor, Teddy dutifully picks up paper and wrappers off the floor and drops them in the trashcan.

I open one of the dresser drawers to fold the clothes when I see a leather journal. "Huh?" I gasp. Curious, I grab it. Lisa fills my mind like a virus. I open up the book to see Lisa's name written on the very first page.

A eager smile forms on my face. I contemplate reading it. I fear that Lisa or Paul will come and catch me.

I examine it. Could I use this as a weapon? Maybe? I have doubt. Paul is a deluded monster and Lisa is a evil bitch. What secrets can harm them?

I put the book back and I continue to clean. My order for today is to monitor the children. Paul has already convinced the adults to go out hunting with him. I know they are not coming back. I felt numb when I saw their carefree faces, dressed warmly in coats and boots, armed with guns. Paul was smiling widely at them and was eager to take them out of the house. The house feels somber when he leaves. Lisa is in the kitchen, begrudgingly caring for Red and C-101.

"This is awesome!" Ruby squeals as she plays a board game by herself. Lily and Minerva were in the same room, giggling with braiding each other hair. I watch them by the doorway like a hawk. Ruby is lively and energetic as she fiercely moves her piece.

"I WIN!" Ruby rejoices.

Minerva and Lily are not paying attention at all. Instead the two girls were chattering among each other. Lily braids Minerva's glossy hair as they giggle at a joke.

Ruby didn't seem bothered at all, she is content playing with herself.

I then go to Lincoln and Parker Kate's bedroom. I grab the doorknob only for it to be locked. I knock on the door softly.

"Who is it?" Lincoln shouts out.

"Me. Faye!" I say loudly. Lincoln opens the door slowly. "What?" He demands.

"I just want to check up on you." I explain with a forced smile. I look inside of the bedroom, Parker Kate is quietly sitting on the bed, coloring in a coloring book.

"We're fine." Lincoln grumbles, then he closes the door in my face.

"Dick." I mutter under my breath. I decide to clean up the adults's room. I know they are going to be dead soon. I think about their fates. Graphic thoughts pops in my mind. I think of Mitch being shot in the back of the head by a grinning Paul. I hear Carol's shrill screaming, I could imagine her running for her life, only to be shot in the back. Limp and weak, Carol collapses to the ground firstface. Paul stands over her, with the gun pressed onto Carol's head.

I shake my head as I could hear the fatal gunshot.

I dismiss the thoughts out of my head and I only focus on doing work. I clean up the adults's room, making up their beds and sweeping the floor.

When I exit the room, I see little Parker Kate exiting out of the bedroom with her pink coloring book. Lincoln is behind her.

When me and her meets eyes, she gives me a shy smile. I force out a kind smile to make sure my presence is not scary. "Hi." I say. Parker Kate gives me a sheepish wave.

Lincoln is protectively escorts her to the bathroom When Parker Kate enters the bathroom, closing the door behind her Lincoln stands by the door.

I continue to go on with my day, Teddy pitching in and helping me with my chores.

 _ **Next chapter will come soon. Working on Mercy, The Avenging, WD, and Only Us.**_


	40. Cruel Secrets

The house is hauntingly silent. It is so silent that you could hear a pin drop. My heart thunders in my chest as I suffer a sleepless night.

I couldn't muster the will to close my eyes to escape reality. All of my thoughts lash out inside of my head. I feel crushing pressure on my mind.

I think of all of the horrors in this house. I think of the newcomers in this home. Likewise, the adults never returned. Paul returned home, smiling with sick sadism. One look at him I know the adults are dead and the newcomers are orphans.

I think of the newcomers. I have observed them, examining their mannerisms and personalities. Lisa and Paul wants me to convince all of them eat the sedated food.

Parker Kate, the skittish child that is protected by her dour brother, Lincoln. Ruby, a sweet faced child that I know very little of. Minerva, a talkative girl that loves to brush her red hair. Lily, a brown haired girl that has a perpetual smile and is always heard giggling.

When the adults didn't come back, the older girls of the groups were oblivious. Parker Kate was quiet as a mouse, clinging to her brother. Minerva and Lily just sequestered to themselves, believing that their "parents" would return eventually. I have observed Ruby, when I heard she possibly may be mentally unstable, I couldn't help but seek to find evidences of that. For the short time, I have examined her, I have seen nothing.

The only children that were aware of the deaths was Lincoln.

When I look at the little ones, I think of Teddy. After so much turmoil and trauma, she no longer smiles. Her face is a solid stone. When she speaks, her voice is grave and her body movement is wary. No longer did I have my radiant sunshine to brighten my bleak life. I yearn for Teddy to be her former ebullient self. Just a small smile would lift my damp spirits.

But deep down, I know I will never have my Teddy back. I contemplate if this is karma. Ever since we were together, I have lied to her. Every single word I utter to her is deception. Perhaps by now, she knows she will never see her parents again.

I think of my group. Red and C-101, disheveled and weaken from mistreatment , chained up in the basement.

I snap back into reality to focus on my task for today. Cleaning the master bedroom and making up the bed.

I think of what to do. I need to escape with my team. But how? I can't bear this anymore. I think of Paul and the deal I agreed to. To be his dutiful wife. I couldn't obey this, even if my life depended on it. I begin to develop a plan to escape. I need to be slow and calculating. I can't just attack them outright.

Once I am finished with neatly folding clothes in the dresser, I see Lisa's journal. At first, I thought it was useless, but now I am curious to see if it is useful or not.

I'm cautious. I walk to the bedroom door and closes the door. I sit on their comfortable Queen bed and I begin to read the journal. Lisa's handwritten was messy and difficult to read. Most of her writing is mundane and useless. Then I see interesting two pages. The first one is dated 2022 and the other one was 2023.

February 2022

I think he is cheating again. Paul is almost never satisfied. We found this bimbo just wandering the fucking woods like a retard. She was a complete whore. When I saw Paul going all lovey dovey on her, I knew I had to get him back. I saw him kiss her, he fucking kissed her! In Front of me! I am his fucking wife! Marriage is about commitment and loyalty, which he knows nothing about. He is my man, my husband!

I felt my world was crumbling down. I felt like a piece of trash. Paul was having an open affair with this cunt! When I talked to him about it, he just lost his shit and start screaming and yelling. Kept saying that he wants to breed with the strong. There was nothing strong about that bimbo! She wasn't even pretty.

I hated that bitch. I spat on her when Paul and I locked her away in the basement.

Then I learned I was pregnant.

The moment I learned I was expecting, I knew I had to abort it. Paul clearly didn't want a child with me! He didn't deserve a child with me if he is willing to cheat on his wife.

I still remember the day I abort the thing. It was a stormy night, rain poured down and smacked the windows. Paul and I got into a screaming match after I found him having sex with the bimbo. I was too early for him to know I am pregnant and I damn sure wasn't going to tell him.

I locked myself in the bathroom. I remember how shaky I was. I was shaking with rage. I knew what I had to do to show Paul why he should not break our vows. I swallowed pills after pills. I was lucky that I didn't die from this. It wasn't until I collapse onto the floor, vomiting and seeing blurs, when I was successful. When I wake up from my blackout, I felt like shit, but I had a small pool of blood, telling me I have succeed.

It took two days for me to heal completely. Paul didn't notice, in fact he ignored me, pretended I didn't exist as he fooled around with his slutty mistress.

Once I was completely healed, I decide to kill his mistress. I slit that bimbo's throat.

When Paul found out, I was afraid that he would be angry. But instead we just had sex that day. I love my Paul so much.

I cringe at this woman. "Disgusting." I mumble. I then read the next one.

July 2023

Me and Paul got another family for our basement. An annoying woman, a bald man, and a disrespectful little boy. The boy was so hyperactive, with me being heavily pregnant now, I can't handle the little bastard.

I couldn't wait for us to finish off this family, so we could focus on our child. But Paul was such an asshole to me. For some reason every single time, we have a stupid family in our home, he turns into an asshole. He yells at me, scream at me, hit me. It is just a nightmare.

When I saw Paul making out with the woman, I just felt rage. I actually began to hate him, I hated everything about him. I remembered the bimbo who threatened our marriage, I had to get rid of her. I had to punish him. To teach him to be faithful! All I want is a good marriage and a dutiful husband. THIS is not a good marriage. A man who cheats is not worthy to be a Father!

So one night, I went in the bathroom and swallowed pills to have a stillborn. I remember how I was crying from the pain and other emotions as I feel my dying baby kicking inside of me. It took very long to do so, I will admit. But the outcome was worth it. I still remember it. Me crying on the bathroom floor, Paul wrapping his strong arms around me. I felt like a high school girl as he hugged and kissed me.

Me and Paul ended up burying our stillborn, I believe I named it something but I have long forgotten. I never seen Paul so heartbroken, he was actually crying his heart out. I knew I taught him a lesson. I thought about telling him about my abortions, but I don't want him to go apeshit on me.

We ended up killing off that stupid family soon after. Hopefully in the future, we will be able to have a beautiful, perfect family.

I want to vomit after reading this. Every single word is vile and cruel. But they were exploitable. I could use this against Lisa. All of her darkest secrets is in my possession.

Then as if on cue, I hear Lisa coming upstairs. Tensed, I jump off the bed and put the journal back in it's rightful place.

When Lisa jerks open the door, I close the dresser draw.

"Get out!" Lisa hiss. Lisa points a stern finger to the hallway. "Out! Your chores are done!" She snarls. I give her a cold look, but I remain silent. I walk out of the bedroom without a word. All of her secrets is implanted into my brain.

Teddy keeps to herself. She begins to isolate herself away from me and everyone else. I find her in a empty room, staring out of the window. I contemplate talking to her, but I decide it is best to give her space. I have to focus completely on our escape.

I check on the other children. I observe Minerva and Lily giggling and enjoying their company together.

I listen to their trivial conservation briefly. Minerva's voice is soft and dreamy. "So Elliot leaned in to kissed Juliet!" The girls burst out into high pitched squeals. Minerva was bouncing up and down. I notice Minerva is holding a book in her hands. "It was so romantic! OOH! OOH! It gets better!" Minerva cooes. Minerva opens the book and the girls eyes it with excited smiles.

I find these girls weird. So carefree and happy. How can anyone be jovial in this world? I decide to check up on the others.

I end up finding Ruby wandering through the hallway. Ruby is a cheerful spirit, humming softly to herself. Her movement is lively and perky. Her eyes gleans with innocent curiosity. When Ruby notices me, she smiles brightly at me. "Hi," She waves at me.

I force myself to wave back.

"This house is cool!" Ruby gushes. I smile at her. She reminds me so much of Teddy.

"Hi, wanna play a board game with me?" Ruby inquires.

I almost say yes when I remember what Lincoln told me. "I'm busy." I say.

Ruby frowns disappointed. "Oh...okay." The little girl's movement becomes sluggish and disheartened as she sulks back to her bedroom. I actually feel guilt for rejecting her offer.

I spent the entire day, observing everyone until it was time for bed.

When morning comes, Lisa orders me to help her make breakfast. Paul is out "hunting." I think about how I would exploit her secrets. I'm alone with her in the kitchen, I glance at the kitchen knives, imagining myself stabbing her in the neck.

The others were upstairs soundly asleep.

I notice Lisa shooting me icy glares as we make breakfast. Once we are done, Lisa puckers her lips at me for some reason.

"Who do you think you are?" She hiss at me. I ignore her, I know my silence will further piss her off.

"HELLO! I am talking to you, bitch!"

I still ignore her. I look around the room, pretending to be interested in the walls of the house.

SMACK! Lisa gives me a sharp slap across the face. I'm completely stunned when she roughly grabs my chin and turns my head to face her. "DO YOU THINK I AM SOME JOKE?" Lisa snarls.

I still remain silent. I roll my eyes to piss her off. This makes Lisa lash out like an animal. I have no time to react when she gives me a hard punch to the nose. It happens so fast I have no time to scream. "You little bitch!" Lisa grabs my arm, sharp pain shoots through my nerves.

"We are going to have a talk!" Lisa barks. "BEDROOM! NOW!" I begin to struggle like a fish on a hook. I feel my heart hitching up with fright. I'm worried what Lisa was going to do with me. Lisa is strong enough to drag up the stairs, despite my struggling. She drags me to the bedroom. When we enter the bedroom, Lisa shoves me to the floor with all of her strength. I fall facefirst onto the hard floor.

I scramble to my feet, staggering away from Lisa with alarm.

"Do you think this is a game? When I talk to you, you speak!" Lisa hiss. Lisa then closes the door behind her and locking it. Her eyes glints with sadism.

I glare at her coldly. I hate this woman with every fiber in my being. Lisa's face is sealed in a bitter grimace. "You think because you are Paul's newest pet, you can act like a little brat!" Then like a apex predator, Lisa paces around me. "You are sadly mistaken. Paul and I are trying to have a little family and you are ruining it!"

I think of the cruelest words I could muster. "Seems like you're part of the problem too."

Lisa raises a perplexed eyebrow. "Excuse me?" She immediately becomes defensive. "You little bitch, the only problem is you, you little cunt!" She seethes.

I feel my ego growing every passing second. I smile wickedly at her. No longer did I feel fear. I sit in a nearby chair in the room. I continue to smile at the infuriated woman, sitting upright.

"Me? I'm not the one who aborted her pregnancies because her husband was attracted to another woman." My voice is cold. Lisa's mouth drops in speechless shock. Her skin becomes ashen. She looks at me as if I had two heads. When she speaks, her voice is shaky and baffled. "How...how do you know that?" She stammers.

I become silent, I simply smile wickedly at her. She seems to have figured it out herself, evident to her quivering eyes glancing at the dresser.

I love her expression so much. I feel more and more confident brewing within me. "Remember? When you were pregnant with your first child, Paul met this woman. You were so angry, so jealous that a woman would have your husband's heart." My expression is lifeless and stone. Lisa still looks like she's seen a ghost. All of her authority and power fades away.

I glare her directly in the eyes as I reprise the words of the journal. "So one night, I went in the bathroom and swallowed pills to have a stillborn. I remember how I was crying from the pain and other emotions as I feel my dying baby kicking inside of me."

My wicked smile grows wider and wider. "You talk about having a good marriage, you act like Paul actually loves you." I taunt her. Lisa scowls at me.

I raise an eyebrow. "Well guess what? He doesn't."

Lisa shakes her head as if to remove her from her stupor. She stands before me, stiff, her face is beet red with rage. She looks like she wants to punch the shit out of me. "Shut up!" She speaks through her gritting teeth.

I continue to smile. "Why?" I tease boldly. I tilt my head as I was clueless. "Do you really think Paul loves you? Paul is attracted to other women and you believe you have a good marriage. You're nothing but a prop he likes to play with occasionally. He loves other women."

I smile cruelly. "Like me." I provoke. Lisa jerks, her eyes bulges. She balls up her fists with fury. "YOU LITTLE CUNT!" She snarls.

She takes a aggressive step to me. I am not afraid, I glare at her callously. "I wonder Paul will feel if you beat his future wife? You may not be his only wife very long." I taunt.

My words makes Lisa stop her tracks, she grows stiff, her arms at her side.

I continue to torture this woman. I have taken the obligation to torment her and I am enjoying it.

"Paul will eventually throw you away like the piece of trash you are. You wouldn't know a good marriage if it came up to you and slapped you in the face."

To add salt to the wound, I reprises pieces of the journal. "All I want is a good marriage and a dutiful husband. THIS is not a good marriage. A man who cheats is not worthy to be a Father!"

I smirk. "Well it looks like you failed." I say coldly.

Lisa glares at me full of hatred. "You shut your mouth!" She hiss.

"I know Paul would not be happy with you if he found out about your little secrets." Lisa grows rigid, her face contorted with rage.

"Shut the fuck up!" Lisa hiss at me in a low voice. Sweat runs down her face. I feel glee. I know that my callous words are stinging her from the inside out.

"How did it feel, Lisa?" My voice flat and lifeless. I stare her in the eyes like a predator staring at their prey. "How did it feel when that second child was kicking inside of you as you killed it? Torturous? Painful? What did you feel, Lisa? Pain, misery, grief, or fear?"

A soft chuckle comes out of me. "Ironically that kid could have been what Paul wanted. A fighter. A survivor. It was doing that when you swallowed all of those pills. Kicking as hard as it could inside of you, desperately trying to escape it's fate. But you ruined everything. And why? Because you were a pathetic bitch." When I say the last word, my tongue is ruthless and sharp. I have to suppress the disgust I feel from simply saying Paul's name. Just his name alone sends waves of loathing through my body. But I know what I must do.

I smirk when I notice Lisa trembling. She still glares at me, but she remains stiff as a statute.

"What's wrong?" I taunt.

Lisa raises a shaky finger at me. "Go….go..to your fucking room!" She commands me.

I giggle at her softly. "Really? Do you really think that is going to work?"

Lisa staggers away from me. She puts her back onto the wall and exhales heavily. "You little bitch! You have no idea who you are dealing with!"

"Well Paul and I are married, I will make sure he gets rid of you." I say in a hollow voice. With that, I get out of the chair, bypass stuttering Lisa, open the door, and walk out of the room, pretending Lisa did not exist.

I keep to myself for the entire day. Paul arrived home shortly after my encounter with Lisa. Lincoln and Parker Kate isolate themselves in their bedroom at dinner. I sit at the dining table, Lisa is wide eyed and pale. I make sure to sit close to Paul to spite her.

Everyone at the table has no clue what tension resided in Lisa. I feel my skin reeling when Paul gives me a sick smile.

After dinner, Paul makes me stay at the table. The second his cold hand rubs on my thigh, my breath freezes in my lungs.

I decide to use Lisa's secrets. I make sure my voice is soft and light. "Paul...I have something to tell you."

Paul is silent. He begins to caress my cheek with a lustful glint in his eyes. Then my heart jolts when Paul plants a forceful kiss on my lips. He puts his strong hand on my head, pulling me close to him, preventing me from escaping.

I feel his frantic tongue dancing in my mouth. I find myself growing rigid. It is as if my body is made of stone. I couldn't feel my limbs as my heart thunders with terror.

My mind races with apprehension. Paul pulls away, his hand still holding me in place. His eyes were hungry, he has a gleeful smile printed on his face.

"You're a good kisser, Faye." His breath is hot and foul. His voice is a husky whisper. He stares at me with curiosity. "Gotten your period yet?" Paul inquires.

I flinch. I rarely thought of my reproductive organs. Never have I bleed. I suspect all of the stress prevents me from having mine.

I'm not sure what to say. I remain silent.

"I know you will be a wonderful Mother one day." He whispers to me. With that, he begins to tug at my shirt. His eyes flick upstairs. "Want to do it here or upstairs?" He asks me eagerly.

I try to evoke Lisa's secrets. "Lisa...was pregnant…" I croak. Paul's grip on my head loosens, his eyes become widened with alarm. "What?"

"Lisa was pregnant…..she killed the baby when she saw you having a affair." I admit.

Paul's lust fades away much to my relief. "How do you know that?" He demands.

I feel myself shaking. My voice is small. "Lisa was pregnant twice. She saw you cheating on her. So she killed the babies to punish you."

A chilling look glints in his eyes. "I will handle her." He scowls darkly at the floor, removing his hand from me. "I will handle her." He snarls.

Without waiting, I spring out of the chair and I sprint straight upstairs. I spill into my bedroom, shaken.

The house is silent on the same night. I'm restless. There is seemingly no life in this house. Paul has seemingly disappeared in the house. I have no idea what occurred between Lisa or Paul.

I decide that I need someone to help me escape. I think of Lincoln. The boy is a dick, but he is the only person that is aware of the evil in this house. After my encounter with Paul, I could not wait any longer. I sit in bed, Teddy is beside me, her back to me. She is silent as the dead.

I get off of the bed as slowly as I could. I tiptoe out of the bedroom and into the hallway. My heart pounds in my chest as I approach Lincoln's bedroom door. I didn't want to risk noises, so I grab the knob. I'm terrified that it would be locked. But thankfully it opens when I turn the knob. A sweet smelling candle lights up the small room. Parker Kate is under the blankets, soundly asleep. Lincoln lays on top on the blanket next to his sister. The two are very sensitive to noises, the door makes a soft creak and the siblings wakes up immediately.

Lincoln is guarded. Parker Kate takes time to stir.

"What are you doing?" Lincoln demands in a low whisper.

I give Lincoln a grave look. "I need your help. To escape."

 ** _Reviews and thoughts._**


	41. The Breakout

Lincoln's hard eyes locks onto mine. It is silent in the bedroom. "Close the door." He whispers as softly as he could.

Immediately I know he is on my side. Swiftly, I close the door behind me. Parker Kate is quiet as she attentively listens.

My voice is urgent. "We need to escape. Lincoln, we need to go down to the basement."

Lincoln arches an eyebrow. "Why?" He asks. "What's in the basement?"

I feel my body shaking. My heart pounds wildly in my chest. My lips quiver with anxiety. "My friends….."

Lincoln stares at me in confusion. "What?"

I exhale deeply as I release all of the truth from my soul. "Paul and Lisa are not good people. They killed your parents and they kidnapped us. They want me to convince you to eat their food so they can drug you and lock you up. They will kill you. Lisa killed Daphne." My voice begins to shake, tears build in my eyes.

Lincoln appears pensive. He looks at the floor with pondering eyes. He looks me in the eyes directly. "We should all leave tonight." Lincoln says.

I nod. "I have a plan. We need to get my friends out. They can help."

Lincoln nods solemnly. He turns to his sister. "Parker, you stay in here. Lock the door and don't come out. If something happens, escape out of the window." He orders.

Obediently, Parker Kate nods. "Okay." She says meekly.

Then I remember something important. "I need to get the keys. They're both chained up."

Lincoln ponders to himself. Then his dark eyes flashes. "You're always cleaning up around here. Do you know where they keep the keys?"

I shake my head. "No. I never seen the keys anywhere. I think they keep it on themselves." I say.

"Well how are you going to free them?" Lincoln questions.

Then Chelsy pops into my mind, but then I dismiss that. On the day her sister was killed, Chelsy disappeared. I didn't care for her so I did not notice her absence. Perhaps Lisa murdered her in cold blood or perhaps Paul did something to her. Regardless she is useless.

I think of ways to get the keys. I'm not above just killing Paul and Lisa. I do want to kill them. But I put killing as the last resort. I contemplate sneaking into their bedroom and stealing the keys, but I have no idea where the keys are.

Then as if on cue, I hear the Master bedroom door opening. Heavy footsteps emerges out of the room.

I think of Paul and I have an idea that I hated.

"I have an idea." I whisper. Lincoln squints at me. I whirl around and I scurry out of the door, when I come into the hallway, I see Paul heading to the bathroom.

I feel nausea building in my stomach, my limbs begins to shake. "Paul…" I whisper loudly. I seize his attention. Paul's hair is messy and knotty, he wears a loose shirt and pants for nightwear.

When Paul hears my voice, he perks up with a small smile and turns to me. "Hi, sweetie. Why are you up so late?"

I gulp to suppress my urge to vomit. "Tonight….tonight...I...want...to...do...it.."

Paul's eyes glimmers. His smile widens, showcasing his yellowing teeth. "Really?" He grins.

I force myself to nod. "Yes….but…" My heart skips a beat when Paul comes towards me, his eyes staring directly into mine with hunger. "With….RED!" I squeak. I fight the urge to run away when Paul comes closer to me. His face lights up with interest. "Red….that redheaded girl…" Paul smiles widely. "She is very pretty. Not talkative as you." He appears thoughtful. "Lisa told me she's a bit of trouble. Always trying to lash out at her. Always screaming and acting like a feral animals." A dubious glint flashes in his eyes.

I bite my lower lip, thinking of a good lie. "She...she's scared….sometimes she freaks out….I'll talk to her to calm her down." I force myself to smile.

Paul appears skeptical, he examines me from head to toe. His smile turns into a suspicious thin line. "Are you trying to escape?" He demands, his face becomes flat and cold.

I shake my head. "No." I lie. Paul scrutinizes me. It is quiet for a full minute, Paul ponders to himself. "Fine. You have two minutes." Paul steps away from me. "I'll wait up here for you." He says.

I nod. "I'll be back. I promise." I vow. When I start to walk away, Paul stops me. "Wait. I want to say thank you for telling me the truth." A cruelty gleans in his eyes.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to make sure Lisa is gone." He says in a hollow voice.

I feel slight interest in that. I wouldn't mind if Lisa was murdered by Paul. As long as she is out of my life.

With that, I scurry downstairs and to the basement. I glance at the staircases to see Paul watching me from above. When I reach the door, I open the door and the putrid stench of the death burns my nostrils.

I ignore the stench and I hurry downstairs as every second matters.

The flicking light makes the room dim. The basement has a ominous environment. So much horrors occurred in this room. I see Red still chained up on the pipe. When I walk up to her, I gasp in horror.

Red looks terrible. Her skin is ashen, beads of sweat runs down her face. Her red hair is disheveled and she is noticeably thinner than usual. Red appears sluggish, laying on the floor, staring at nothing. Her hands are painted in dead blood.

C-101 is near her, slumped on the floor, pale and limp. He is unconscious, slowly healing from his bruises and lashes.

I hurry to Red and I approach her. When Red notices me, her dull eyes looks up at me. I kneel down, not wasting anytime. "Red, I have a plan on how to get out of here." I tell her.

Red arches an eyebrow in confusion.

"Just trust me." I urge. "Paul….wants me and you to be his wives…" Red just looks at me as if I had two heads.

"Paul will release you and you can kill him." I explain. Red's confused expression fades away, she finds the energy to sit upright. She nods solemnly.

I smile. "Good. Just be nice. Don't kill him immediately...we need to unlock Xander." I inform her. Red nods swiftly.

I stand up after that and I hurry out of the basement. I feel excitement brewing within me. I'm eager for this "thing" to begin.

As I head up the stairs, I meet eyes with a eager Paul. I smile widely when I approach him. "She said yes." I lie. Paul nods with a smile. With that, he shuffles to the bedroom. I wait for him for a full minute. When he returns, he has all of the silver keys. "We can do it in the other rooms. You can pick. Just wait for me." He tells me with a disgusting smile.

With that, Paul hurries away from me and goes into the basement. For a second, I'm worried that Red will lash out and kill him.

But when Red and Paul exit the basement together, my fears washes away.

Red is struggling to walk properly, her movement is staggering and slow. She tries her hardest to keep up with Paul.

When they finally come upstairs, I lead them to a random room in the house. It is a small room with several candles lighting it up. There is a uncomfortable, thick bed.

"Let's do this!" Paul says eagerly. I whirl around to see Paul unzipping his pants. I feel my stomach quivering.

Paul beckons me to the bed. "You," He turns his head at Red. "take off your clothes and lay down on the bed." He commands. Paul smiles at me with a lustful glint.

Red and I exchange a look. She has a icy expression, her hands balled up in a fierce fist.

Time seems to slow down when I mouth the word. "Now."

In a instant, Red's claws springs out, sharp and slick. Then she lunges at Paul.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Paul releases out a bloodcurdling screech of agony. Red is ferocious, she shows no mercy as she yanks out her claws. Paul trembles uncontrollably, he falls to his knees, his cries are guttural chokes mixed with an agonized roar. I enjoy all of the misery and agony he is feeling now. Paul is too stunned to whirl around, Red ruthlessly penetrates her claws into his back repeatedly.

Paul stares me in the eyes as blood seeps out of his mouth. The look in his wide eyes screams at me to help him. I just stand there, enjoying every second of this. I smile at him wickedly.

Paul begins to convulse and tremble like a rabid animal. Paul throws himself onto the floor, the blood clots up his voice box.

Red chooses to be callous. The claws in her left hand retracts back into her. The wounded man is at her mercy. Red grabs a handful of his hair, yanking his head back. She wraps her other arm around his neck. She retracts all of her claws expect one. I watch the life pour from his eyes as Red slits his throat. Paul's throat spews out a fountain of crimson. Red shoves Paul to the floor, he falls facefirst into his own pool of blood. I smile at his lifeless body with joy.

Red breathes heavily. She retracts the claw. Blood is splattered on her clothes and hair. Swiftly, I hurry to get the keys off of his pants.

Out of spite, I kick his body with a fury.

With that, me and Red hurry out of the room and to the basement. I sprint full force to C-101, once I'm close enough, I unlock him swiftly. C-101 is still unconscious. I waste no time. I give him a sharp slap across the face that wakes me up instantly.

C-101 looks at me, sluggish. "The...fuck.." He croaks. Red hurries pass me and grabs C-101's arm. I take his other arm and we help him to his feet.

"COME ON!" I yell. I remove myself from C-101 and I hurry up the stairs. Red helps C-101 hobble up the stairs.

When I exit the basement, all hell breaks loose in the house. "MOVE OR I SHOOT! MOVE OR I SHOOT!" Lisa barks. My eyes flick to the upstairs. Lisa, disheveled and beet red, is armed with a AR-15. Aiming it at the orphaned children. And the worst of all, Teddy. Lincoln is the only one that is unafraid. He aims his arrow at Lisa's heart. "LET US LEAVE!" He demands. Parker Kate is cowering back her brother, rigid with terror. Teddy stands behind her, pale as snow.

Ruby is very vocal. Screaming at the top of her lungs out of terror. "NO! NO! PLEASE!" She screams tearfully. She trembles like a leaf in a hurricane.

"Please no! Please! We'll leave!" Lily begs, crying heavily.

Minerva is beet red, her red hair is tousled. "Please! We'll do anything you want. Please don't kill us!" She pleads.

Lisa is a ruthless predator. "SHUT THE FUCK UP! ALL OF YOU! WHERE IS SHE? WHERE IS THE BITCH?"

Immediately I know it is me she wants. I desire a gun.

I examine Lincoln. I develop an idea. I take in a deep breath. "LISA!" I scream at the top of my lungs.

Lisa turns her head to me instantly.

Automatically Lincoln releases his arrow once he has an opening. His aim is precise as the arrow pierces into Lisa's heart, killing her instantly. Parker Kate and Ruby breaks out into a terrified shriek. Lincoln swiftly grabs Parker Kate's hand. "COME ON!" He yells out to the others. "We need to go!"

Urgently, Lincoln sprints down the stairs, Parker Kate is a hysterical mess, but she does her hardest to keep up with her brother.

"GO! GO! GO!" I shout at them as I bolt to the front door. When I approach the door, my heart is thundering in my chest from adrenaline. I feel a tremendous wave of energy impact me as I open the door and I smell the aroma of nature. It is beginning to be morning, the sun is in the slow process of rising.

"COME ON!" I urge. We all sprint out of the hellhole. When we are fifteen feet away from the house, I see C-101 emerges from the house with a backpack. Once he's out of the house, he sprints to us to keep up with us.

Every fiber of my being feels liberated. I feel all of the pressure wash over me. Brimful of energy, we all run full speed away from the house and into the thick woods.

 ** _Next chapter coming soon. Reviews and thoughts._**


	42. Solace

When the sun completely rises, everyone runs out of steam. I feel my lungs tight with pressure. My legs begins to ache with sharp pain.

We all stop in the thick woods. All of us gasping for air and shaking from adrenaline.

"We should rest." Lily suggests. With that, Lily sits down on the ground, breathless.

Lincoln shakes his head. "No. No. We need to keep going." Lincoln urges as he gasp for air.

Lily is adamant. "They're dead. There's nothing else to run from." Lily reasons. "I just can't run anymore."

Lincoln appears stubborn, I decide to chime in. "Lily is right. Paul and Lisa are dead. We should take a short break."

Lincoln gives me a hard stare. Then he breaks it and glance at his exhausted sister. His expression softens. "I'm taking watch." He says urgently. With that, he walks off to take watch.

All of us sits down. The orphaned children sits across from us, all of them disheveled, their once clean clothes is stained. Their eyes are glassy with emotional turmoil. Teddy sits next to me, silent and stiff.

It is silent for a long time. None of us know each other in any way. All of us were strangers to each other.

Minerva bites her lower lip as she makes small talk. "Um….what's your name?" She asks C-101 and Red.

C-101 looks indifferent. "Xander...this is Red.." C-101 says without looking her in the eyes. Minerva appears flushed. "Umm….that's nice. Well I'm Minerva…." She croaks. "Nice to meet you."

C-101 sighs disinterested. "Yep." He says dryly.

Parker Kate wipes a tear away. She manages to force out a faint smile. "Um...I'm Parker Kate...you can call me Parker or Kate if you like." She whispers in a polite tone.

Ruby is looking around feverishly. Tears rolling down her cheeks, Ruby scans the area. "Where's Mom and Dad? I want to go back to the van!" She weeps.

Minerva is compassionate. She scoots close to Ruby, wrapping her arms around her, warmly embracing her. "It's okay...it's okay.." She soothes. Minerva rocks her back and forth gently. "You're going to be okay."

Lily begins to cry. "I can't believe this...all of this…" She mumbles to herself in disbelief. She puts a emotional hand over her mouth.

Ruby cries harder despite the comfort. "What happened to Mom and Dad?" She sobs.

I decide to tell her the truth. "Paul killed them. I'm sorry…" I say gently.

Ruby breaks down into hysterical tears, her face becomes beet red. Minerva struggles to not break down herself. She embraces Ruby tightly. Ruby is not soothed at all. She chokes out mournful sobs, she begins to frantically hyperventilate. Panic and terror contorts her ashen face. "No! No...no..no.." She mumbles to herself. Minerva whispers in Ruby, desperately trying to calm her down.

Parker Kate weeps softly to herself, she puts her knees up to her chin and cries heartbroken. Her pitiful state evokes sympathy from me. I regret revealing their deaths.

Lily shakes her head vigorously as she chokes out raw sobs to herself. "Oh my god!" She moans sorrowfully.

I feel pity for them. I recollect the day I killed Mucker. My only parent in my life. I feel a wave of longing flow through me. I struggle to fight the tears building in my eyes.

I find it in my heart to be kind. "I'm sorry. You can travel with us." C-101 shoots me a angry look. C-101 glares at the girls. "Can you hunt?" He demands. "Because you're not eating any of the canned food I got." He gestures to the dark backpack he got from the house.

Through her heavy tears, Lily glares at C-101 coldly. "You are a selfish bastard!" She shrieks with emotions.

Her shrill voice echoes through the forest, my heart jolts with panic.

"Lily….Lily...please...stop...don't make noise…" Parker Kate stammers shyly.

C-101 stands up with balled up fists. "Shut the fuck up, bitch! You aren't entitled to shit! We don't even know you!" He snarls with bitterness. Lily fixates a icy glare on C-101. C-101 shoots her one back and sits down.

Parker Kate senses the tension in the air. "Please, don't fight." She begs softly.

C-101 swats his hand at Lily dismissively. "I don't give a fuck." C-101 shrugs his shoulders. Parker Kate's eyes flicker with shock when C-101 curses.

When the tension dies down, Ruby begins to calm down. She sniffles and wipes her tears away. "What happened? To Paul?" Ruby asks me. Her eyes are pools of innocence. I feel so much pity for this child. I glance at Teddy. She is detached, she doesn't look me or speak to me. She is a hollow husk of her old self.

I turn my head back to Ruby.

"They're dead. We managed to kill him." I admit.

Ruby sniffles. She then gives me a thankful smile. "Thank you." She says gratefully. Ruby removes herself from Minerva. She stands up and scrolls over to me. Before I know it, the child throws herself onto me and breaks down into sobs.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Ruby weeps. Her arms are wrapped around my neck. I feel my heart lift.

"You're welcome." I whisper. My eyes flick to Teddy. She still acts like I didn't exist.

A full hour passes when we begin to walk again. Lincoln is in the front, armed with his arrows. Parker Kate is close to him like a shadow. I catch Parker Kate giving me curious glances. She visibly wants to be around me, but Lincoln instructed her to stay close to him. Ruby has decided to trust me wholeheartedly. She proves this by holding my hand and smiling at me.

Her hand is warm and I hold it tightly. I realize my maternal feeling is directed at the little ones in the group. I care about Parker Kate and Ruby. Both of them are innocent and sweet.

Teddy is sulking behind me. I turn my hand and I extend my hand to her. "Ted." I seize her attention. I shake my hand at her, urging her to take my hand.

"No." Teddy objects. Her arms were stiff at her side. My heart cracks with despair. My relationship is tarnished.

I turn my back to her, fighting hot tears.

….

We are able to travel on foot for the entire day. Lincoln is a talented hunter. He managed to gather rabbits for everyone to eat. The weather becomes colder and colder.

Soon, it snows lightly. The temperature becomes frigid and unbearable. Much to our luck, Lincoln discovers a abandoned cabin where we could rest. The cabin is wooden and has two bedrooms.

We settle in this cramped cabin as the snow becomes heavy.

"I think we have enough food to last for a week or two." Lincoln says aloud.

C-101 smiles impressed. "Awesome, I managed to take some canned food from that shithole."

Lincoln nods. "We need to be scarce. One meal a day. Did you get water? That's more important."

C-101 nods swiftly. He puts down the backpack and pulls out a water bottle. "Yeah." He says.

At nighttime, we feast on a rabbit that we have roasted prior the snowfall. With half full bellies, we all went to bed. Teddy isolates herself from me completely. Her rejection is breaking my heart. Lincoln, Parker Kate, and Red sleeps in one bedroom together. Minerva, Lily, me, Teddy, and Ruby sleeps in the other room. The bedroom are small and cramped with uncomfortable beds. Teddy and Ruby gets the bed.

Minerva finds a long blanket and a single pillow in the closet. Minerva places a blanket onto the floor for her and Lily. I lay on the cold floor near the bed. Teddy's back to me evokes tears to flow out of my eyes.

Ruby sits upright, her shimmering eyes meets mine. "Faye," She whispers. Ruby sees my tears and she frowns. "What's wrong?" With that, she gets up from the bed, taking a pillow with her. She makes her way to me.

I wipe my tears away.

"Nothing." I mutter. Ruby smiles brightly at me. "It's okay, Faye. Everything is going to be fine." She reassures me. With that, Ruby sits down next to me, laying her pillow down.

Ruby still smiles at me as she lays her head down on the pillow.

I shake my head. "Go back to bed." I order. Ruby doesn't listen, she just keeps smiling. "When I feel sad, I use to ask Mom to sleep with me." Ruby tells me.

I feel my heart warm up.

"Goodnight, Faye." She whispers to me.

In the early morning, Ruby shakes me awake. "Morning, Faye!" Ruby chirps in my ear. I stir slowly, the sunlight shines through the window.

I look at the bed to see Teddy is not in the room. I desperately want our relationship to return to normal. But I have no idea of what words I should say. I'm just clueless on what to do. I feel empty, Teddy was the apple of my eye. Her ignoring me and dismissing me is eating me from the inside out like cancer. I keep feeling the strong urge to burst out into tears.

I find solace in Ruby. I remember what Lincoln told me, but I can't help but to dismiss it. There is no evidences of any mental instability.

At breakfast, we eat beans out of a can. C-101 puts small amount of beans in all of our bowls to save food. My belly is still empty when breakfast is over.

Everyone keeps to themselves. Lily and Minerva talk among each other. Ruby clings to me like a shadow. Teddy sequesters herself in the adjoining living room. She avoids everyone in the house. Lincoln and Parker Kate isolate themselves in their bedroom. Red and C-101 clean up the kitchen.

It is very awkward having new people.

Me and Ruby head into the bedroom where we pass time to relax. We sit on the bed together.

Ruby smiles at me sweetly. "I really like this cabin." Ruby chirps.

I look around. "It is." I agree.

Ruby scoots close to me. Her emotions shifts into sorrow. "I...I..really miss my parents." She laments. I put a kind arm around her.

"I know." I whisper.

Ruby sniffles. "I...never...got to say goodbye….." Ruby croaks. She bites her lower lips, visibly trying not to cry.

I comfort her, my voice is gentle. "Don't worry, Ruby. I'll take care of you for now." I promise her. Ruby sniffles and places her head on my chest.

"Thanks, Faye." Ruby whispers.

I smile at her, the emptiness I feel for Teddy is still inside of me, but there is a new feeling in my body.

"I'll teach you how to protect yourself." I tell her.

Ruby looks up at me with curious eyes. "What do you mean?" She inquires.

I sit upright. "You need to learn how to kill Infecteds. Sometimes.." Ruby abruptly cut me off.

Panic flashes in her eyes. "I don't want to kill them!" Ruby protest.

I'm taken aback. "What?" I ask.

Ruby sits upright and removes her head from my chest. Her cheerful smile is replaced with a serious thin line. "I don't like killing infecteds." She explains.

I feel pity for her. "It's okay to be scared." I reassure her.

Ruby shakes her head. "No..no. I'm not scared. I just don't want to kill them." Ruby elucidates.

I give Ruby a long look. I assume Ruby is a pacifist. I persist. Everyone should know how to kill an infected to survive.

"Ruby," My voice is urgent. "You can't just hide and run away all the time. One day, you'll be stuck somewhere. Somewhere where no one can help you. You can only help yourself. You need to know how to defend yourself. If you don't, they will eat you alive."

Ruby's eyes glimmers. I hope my words are digging into her.

Ruby's eyes hardens. "No. No. Faye...I don't like killing them. They're...people." I am taken aback once again. My eyes widens at that statement.

I shake my head vehemently. "No. They're monsters. They eat and kill people."

Ruby gives a nonchalant look and lazily shrugs her shoulders. "People kill people all the time. They're just sick. Different. You should never judge people for being different."

I couldn't help but to stare at Ruby as if she had six heads. Never before have I ever heard anyone talk about the Infected like this.

Ruby keeps going. Her voice is blunt with overflowing sweetness. "They're alive. They don't want to hurt anyone. It's not their fault."

I shake my head. "No. Ruby, they will kill you if you come close to them." I insist.

Ruby is stubborn as a rock. "They're friendly. If you just stop and listen to them. You would see." Ruby says innocently.

Listen? I think of what Lincoln told me. My lips quiver. "Um...what do you hear?"

Ruby smiles brightly. "Nice stuff. Sometimes they tell me their names and stuff." Her voice is so childish, it is difficult to take her seriously.

"Ruby, stop...listen...to me.." My tongue shakes with bafflement. "You need to stay close to the group. Close to me at all times. Don't go near the infected! You could be eaten or worst, bitten!" I command.

Ruby arches up an eyebrow. "Is being bitten really that bad?" She questions curiously. "You come back. You apparently don't die. You just turn into a different person." She then adds.

Shock fills my eyes. Ruby looks at me with hope. She seems to think I have all of the answers. I can't answer that question because I am the infection itself. Ruby's behavior change throws me off completely. I have no idea of what to do.

I change the subject. I turn my head to the window to see heavy snowfall. "It is so beautiful out there!" I chirp.

Ruby is quiet. She is not done with our conservation. "Faye, what happens when we die?" She asks me.

I don't know the answer to that. I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know." I admit.

Ruby raises up a curious eyebrow. "Do you think we come back? Turn into one of them?"

"No. When you're not infected, you die. That's it." I explain.

Ruby's face becomes somber. "So nothing happens after we die. We just…...die? That's it?" She sounds sorrowful.

I didn't want to lie to her. Not like I did with Teddy. To be honest, I know very little about an afterlife. I have no time to think about it. "Yes. We just die and that's it." I say flatly.

Ruby appears disheartened. I feel a pang of guilt.

"Sorry, maybe I was being a little too brutally honest. But...that's what makes living worth it. Life can end at any moment. So you have to survive and keep going." I reassure her.

Ruby looks on blankly. She seems to be deep in thought. "Maybe you're right, Faye." She remarks.

Then there is a silence between us.

I debate in my mind about teaching Ruby how to use a weapon.

 ** _Next chapter coming soon. Reviews and thoughts._**


	43. The Voices of Misery

For four long days, there is snowfall that barricades us inside the small cabin. Every single day, I and Ruby grew closer and closer. I am still debating if I should teach Ruby how to use a weapon or not. Her bizarre concept of the Infected is alarming, but I do fear the day when she is alone and defenseless.

Teddy continues to seclude herself. Her rejection is eating me alive and I hate it. All of our moments of happiness is now being washed away.

For the longest time, I have left Teddy alone. I believed that giving her space to think would be beneficial. I wish I could read her mind. I want to know how she is feeling and what she thinks of me now.

So finally on the fifth day, I decide to confront Teddy. It is still snowing outside. The forest is covered in a white blanket. Everyone in the house keeps to themselves. Ruby doesn't mind me leaving her alone as she is exploring the cabin out of curiosity.

When I go to the bedroom that Teddy resides in, my heart jerks with apprehension. When I reach for the doorknob, I freeze. It is as if some unseen force is preventing me from opening the door.

Beads of sweat run down my face with anxiety. My lungs begin to tighten.

"Come on!" I whisper harshly to myself. "Stop it, Faye!" I order myself. I take in a deep breath to loosen all of my muscles. With a thundering heart, I use all of my energy to grab the cold knob. Time seems to slow down as I gingerly turn the knob and slowly open the door.

When I enter, Teddy and I's eyes meet. I freeze once again, staring directly at Teddy with quivering eyes.

Teddy lays down on the bed. Her dark hair is tangled and her skin is pale. When she sees me, all I see is coldness.

I feel my chest heaving up and down. Before I know it, a tidal wave of emotions pours out of my mouth without my permission.

"Teddy, I love you! I love you more than I love myself. I am sorry for everything I did! I am sorry! I love you! I love you!"

Teddy's cold expression doesn't change. Her lips turn into a bitter scowl. "My parents are dead." She says flatly.

I feel tears build up in my eyes. My heart is cracking into fragments. Remorse overflows through me. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" I exclaim.

Teddy narrows her eyes at me. "You lied to me! You knew my parents were dead! I trusted you!" Her voice loses it's flatness and is full of intensity. Teddy balls up her fists, her eyes are shooting daggers at me.

Tears roll down my cheeks. Her words stab me like knives.

Despite my pitiful tears, Teddy is not sympathetic.

"I trusted you, Faye! My parents are dead and you knew! You lied to me! All you did is lie to me!" Teddy slams her fists onto the bed in a fury.

I struggle to find the words to calm her down. "Teddy….I...I…" My voice trails off.

Teddy glares at me. "NO! LEAVE ME ALONE! I DON'T WANT TO BE FRIENDS WITH YOU ANYMORE!" Emotions begin to overwhelm her. She breaks down into heavy tears as she berates me.

"I thought you were my friend! I thought you were telling me the truth! You were never going to take me to my parents because they were dead! You knew that and you kept lying to me!" Teddy shrieks tearfully.

I stand in the room like a statue. Numbness fills me to the brim. My mind begins to spin. The atmosphere of the room is melancholy.

Teddy continues to lambaste me. "DAPHNE IS GONE! SHE IS DEAD!" Her voice breaks. Teddy releases out a raw sob.

"SHE IS DEAD! SHE WAS MY BEST FRIEND!" She glowers at me. "DID YOU LIE TO HER TOO? WAS HER FAMILY ALIVE AT ALL?"

I wipe my tears away. "Yes…" I croak out.

Teddy rubs her eyes feverishly. She stops talking and only chokes out broken sobs. I stand there, watching her crying. I feel myself spiraling down into a pit of despair. I didn't blame Teddy for her anger. But at the same time, her rejection sends twinges in my heart.

When Teddy talks to me again, her voice is small and broken. Her green eyes shimmer dimly. "Why? Why did...you lie?" Teddy sighs.

I'm silent. My tongue is dry as sandpaper. I just want to disappear. Teddy stares at me with her tearful eyes as I struggle to muster out words.

When my words does find its way out of my mouth, they are shaky and small. "I didn't want to hurt you. I was scared that you…...would be…..I didn't want you to be hurt, Teddy. I didn't want to lie to you. I...I felt like I had to. To protect you."

Teddy is silent, her eyes stare into mine. Her lips are a thin line. Her face is a blank slate. I can't tell what emotion she is feeling.

Then Teddy shows her feelings towards me when she turns her head away from me. She evades eye contact with me and pretends I don't exist.

My heart breaks completely from this gesture. I nearly fall to my knees as a wave of rejection hits me with all of its force.

I lose my will to speak. Tears pour from my eyes. I stagger out of the room and into the hallway.

My body is numb, I feel drained physically, mentally, and emotionally. All I want to do is to be alone and cry.

I hobble to the nearest bathroom as I begin to hyperventilate. I jerk open the door and I throw myself inside the room. Choking out sobs, I close the door behind me. Sunlight shines through the bathroom through the small window.

I proceed to have a meltdown. I sit down on the floor, my knees up to my chin. I cry my little heart out. All of the tears were heavy and broken.

I have no idea how long I have been crying. Minutes? Hours? I didn't have the energy to care.

Knock! Knock!

I stiffen startled. I stifle a sob inside my throat.

"Faye?" I hear the meek voice of Parker Kate. I'm shocked to hear her. Usually Lincoln is hovering over her. "Are you okay?" She sounds worrisome.

I open my mouth to say something, but a forceful sob breaks out of me.

"What's wrong, Faye?" Parker Kate asks me. I don't answer, I just cry.

Parker Kate is silent. She is so silent I think she left.

"Do you need some tissue? I have some." Parker Kate offers.

At this point, I just didn't care about anything. "Come in," I tell her without thinking.

Obediently, Parker Kate gently opens the door, my eyes flicker to the ball of tissue in her small hand. Parker Kate walks to me and hands the tissue to me with a faint smile.

In my wretched state, this small gesture of kindness did lift my spirits slightly. The little girl sits on the floor with me, she looks me directly in the eyes. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?" She asks me.

I sniffle. I didn't want to tell her anything, but I have learned not to lie. "I'm just sad. I...I...lost someone." I mutter.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Parker Kate sighs. Sadness flows through her eyes, her eyes lower to the floor. It is silent for a short moment until Parker Kate speaks again. She looks up at me. "You can play with me." She offers.

I find the strength to smile.

Parker Kate's sadness fades away and is replaced with content. "Lincoln got me a coloring book before we left. You can have it."

I shake my head. "No, you keep it." I tell her.

Parker Kate is understanding, but persistent. "We could color together. I haven't colored all the pages."

I smile faintly. "Thanks." All of my dampened emotions begin to sink down into the deepest depth of my soul. Parker Kate stands up and escorts me to her bedroom.

Luckily, Teddy is not in the bedroom anymore. Her pink coloring book is on the dresser along with a small box of crayons.

Parker Kate gets the coloring book and crayons and scrolls over to me. We sit on the floor and we begin to color the outlines of the animals in the book.

I'm not interested in this coloring, but I did enjoy Parker Kate's company. She seems to like my company as well.

"You're really good, Faye." Parker Kate compliments me.

"Thanks," I glance at her coloring. She colors a horse brown and keeps the color within the black lines. "You're good too."

Parker Kate smiles brightly at that. "It's really nice….to...have someone new around." She comments.

"Where's your brother?"

"In the kitchen." Parker Kate answers precisely.

Ruby pops into my mind. I contemplate inviting her, but then I remember Lincoln.

"Do you think Lincoln will be mad if I invite Ruby?" I ask Parker Kate.

Parker Kate waste no time to nod her head in confirmation. "Yes. Lincoln got mad at me one time when I was playing with her. He told me never to talk to her." Parker Kate elucidates.

I dismiss the idea, I did not want conflict with Lincoln.

Parker Kate keeps going. She makes small gestures. "Lincoln calls her weird…She thinks those monsters.." Parker Kate has no time to finish her sentence.

As if on cue, Ruby's voice enters the room. "Hi." She says lightly. She didn't seem to have heard the conservation and is in high spirits.

Ruby skips into the bedroom with brisk movement. "Can I play?" She asks.

Parker Kate stiffens with hesitation.

I'm resolved to not have conflicts. "Not right now," I tell her. "I'll play with you later," I add.

Ruby frowns disheartened. "Please, Faye!" She begs. "I want to color too!"

I'm strict. "No. Later." I insist.

Ruby looks like she is on the verge of crying. All her high spirits wash away. "But I have no one else to play with," Ruby complains.

I open my mouth to say something when Lincoln enters the bedroom. He is pissed, his fists are firm, and his eyes are daggers. "Ruby, get out!" Lincoln demands harshly.

Ruby shoots Lincoln an indignation glare. "I'm not doing anything, Lincoln!" Ruby whines.

Lincoln is stubborn. He points a stern finger to the door. "Out." He snarls. I look at Ruby and my heart aches from her pitiful expression. I stand up to approach her.

Ruby releases out a soft sob and storms out of the room. I follow her as she spills into the bedroom we share.

When I enter the bedroom, I find Ruby standing by the window, weeping her heart out. Impulsively, I scurry to her and I throw my arms around her to embrace her.

Ruby jerks startled but realizes it is me and relaxes.

"Everyone hates me," Ruby mutters brokenly. She chokes out a pitiful sob.

"No! No! No one hates you." I comfort her. I rock her back and forth.

Ruby is stubborn. "No. Everyone does. Lincoln never lets me play with Parker."

I whisper in her ear in a gentle voice. "What about Minerva, Lily?"

Ruby sniffles. "They're nice." She admits.

"So everyone in the group doesn't hate you." I stroke her blonde hair. "Just stay away with Parker. Lincoln doesn't want you to be around her and you should respect that." I advise.

Ruby sniffles and coughs harshly. "But I keep telling Lincoln I'm not bad. I…...like Parker. She's really nice!" Ruby argues.

"Just don't upset him." I insist.

Ruby nods. I release her and Ruby wipes her tears away.

Ruby hugs herself and begins to cry softly to herself. "I don't get why Lincoln hates me."

I decide to be honest. "He thinks you're weird. He said that you hear things and.." Ruby interrupts me.

"I do! I do!" Her voice is shrill with desperation. "I do hear things!" Her tearful eyes flash with frustration. She stomps her foot as hard as she could to emphasize her intense emotions. "Lincoln would hear them too if he just listened! Everyone could."

I feel uneasiness swelling in my stomach. But at the same time, I feel intrigued. I recollect my time with Mucker. I have heard the word "mental instability." I think of the days when I would "snap." For a long time, I haven't "snapped."

Ruby is brimful of emotions. "I just want to play with Parker Kate. That's it." She whimpers.

Ruby coughs. "I want to show her what I see. She's my friend and Lincoln is always so mean to me!" She breaks down into pitiful tears.

I feel both pity and concern for Ruby. Since she has such an innocent and childlike demeanor, this bizarre behavior is offputting.

I embrace her warmly. "It's okay. You can play with me." I offer.

Ruby sniffles and ceases her weeping. "Okay." She whispers.

…..

We are trapped in the cabin for one more day until the snowfall calms down. Once the snow stops, Lincoln and C-101 decide to go out hunting.

Lily and Minerva are not hunters, so they stay behind to supervise Parker Kate. Ruby, Teddy, and Red join me and the boys into the snowy forest.

I have a hunter knife from C-101. He and Lincoln hunt together. I think Lincoln is the only person he hasn't curse out or insult. Teddy, still distant to me, she hunts on her own with her own hunting knife.

"Faye! Look, berries!" Ruby alerts me. With a wide smile, she points to a bush with tomato-like berries. They are covered in snow, they are yellowish with the appearance of a tomato, but is the size of a cherry. I eye them with confusion. I have never seen these berries before.

"We could eat them!" Ruby chirps, she sprints to them. She kneels down to the bush. I'm cautious, I hurry to her and I grab her arm to stop her in her tracks. "Be careful. They could be poisonous." I warn her.

Ruby gives me a nonchalant expression. "It's fine. They look edible." Ruby reassures me.

Ruby yanks her arm away and swiftly proceeds to pluck several berries into her hands. I have no idea if these berries are poisonous or not.

"Just in case, you need to stick to eat the meat we get." Ruby puts the berries into her pant pocket. She beams. "Okay!" She chirps.

Then there is a familiar croaking in the distance. I stiffen and my eyes look up to see a stalker. It staggers in the forest, feet away from us. It doesn't seem to notice us.

I make sure I am silent to not attract it to us. Ruby doesn't notice it, but she does notice my expression.

When she opens her mouth, I make sure to put a finger up to my lips. Ruby stands up slowly. When she sees the stalker, she stiffens. It still doesn't know we are here. One sound will send it into a rage.

Then Ruby raises up her arm, waves her hand briskly and calls out to it in a cheerful voice. "HI!"

My heart nearly jumps out of my chest, I lunge to Ruby and slams my hand over her mouth. But it is too late.

Once it turns it's head, it's croaking becomes erratic. It goes into a frenzy, charging at us full speed. I yank Ruby forward and we begin to run.

Ruby begins to protest. "No! No! He's friendly! We should talk to him!" She urges. I ignore her and keep running.

"SHIT!" I shriek when my foot catches onto something. I fall facefirst onto the ground. I'm stunned. Ruby slips out of my grip. I'm brimful of adrenaline and I flip myself onto my back.

Ruby is in front of me. Her voice is giggly, she shouts out to the charging stalker. "Come on!" She coaxes. The stalker is five feet away when I find the strength to scramble to my feet. My knife is glued to my hand. With my free hand, I shove Ruby to the ground and I lunge at the stalker.

Ruby screams out of protest. "NO! NO! WAIT, FAYE!" I ignore her as I confront the stalker. I bury my nails into its shoulder as it tries to bite my neck. It screeches insanely.

Swiftly, I penetrate the knife into the side of the stalker's head, killing it instantly.

It falls to the ground into a lifeless heap.

I turn to the sound of Ruby weeping heavily. She looks at me and glares at me full of fury. "WHY DID YOU DO THAT? HE WAS NICE! HE JUST WANTED TO PLAY!" She shrieks.

I feel a pang of anger. I couldn't help my sharp tongue. "He was going to kill you! He was going to eat you, Ruby!" I snap.

Ruby becomes beet red. "How do you know?" She shoots back. "You didn't even give him a chance!"

I just stare at her speechless. Ruby breaks down into hysterical tears. "People kill people! People kill people! Why are they any different?" She screeches.

"Stop screaming," I say in a low voice.

Ruby obeys me, she rolls onto her stomach and begins to cry harder.

Then I hear rushing footsteps and I look up to C-101 and his grimace. When he approaches us, he is furious. "What the fuck are you two doing? You're going to attract infected to us!"

I try to explain the situation, but C-101 stops me once I utter one word. "I don't give a shit what is happening. Shut the fuck up! I could hear that little bitch screaming her head off from ten feet away!" He rebukes.

Ruby lifts up her head. Hurt flashes in her eyes. "Don't call me names!" She protests.

"Shut the fuck up!" C-101 hiss, giving her an icy glare. "You're going to get us all killed with your retardation!"

Ruby stands up livid. "No, I'm not! I'm just making friends!" She points a shaky finger at the deceased stalker. "But Faye killed it!"

C-101 gives her a long look, his eyes full of disbelief. C-101 turns his eyes to me, silently asking me questions.

When I say nothing, C-101 gives Ruby a stern glare. "You can't make friends with those things." C-101 scolds.

Ruby is still emotional. "YES, YOU CAN!" Ruby shrieks.

"Shut up!" C-101 says in a low voice. Then he swats at her dismissively and looks at me. "Take her back to the cabin. Get her out of here! Now!" He orders.

I take in a deep breath. "Kay," I say.

I grab Ruby with a uneasy feeling in my stomach and I escort her back to the cabin.

When we go inside, I close the door. Ruby's cheery voice echoes through the house. "Hi, Parker! Wanna play?" Ruby asks. I turn around to see Minerva, Lily, and Parker Kate sitting at the dining table.

Before I could do anything, Ruby scurries over to me. Parker Kate appears nervous, biting her lower lip.

Minerva is engrossed in a book. Lily contently braid her dark hair. When Ruby comes to the table, she seizes Lily's attention. "How was hunting?" She asks.

"Good," Ruby says swiftly. "It was fun."

Lily smiles kindly. "Want to read one of my books?" She asks.

Ruby shakes her head. "No thanks." She sits next to Lily. She pulls out the berries. I hurry over to them and I sit at the table, to supervise Ruby.

"I got some berries. Want some?" Ruby offers.

I glance at Parker Kate. She is diligently coloring in her coloring book. I sigh exhausted. All of this is wearing me out.

I catch a glimpse of Lily eating one of the berries. She takes a big chunk out of it and smiles, enjoying the taste. "This is really good. A bit sour, but tasty!" She remarks.

Ruby giggles delightfully. "Thanks!" She then offers the others to everyone else at the table. Ruby is completely in high spirits once again. She is acting as if nothing happened prior.

Parker Kate bites her lower lip. "Sorry….Ruby...Lincoln told me he is going to get me a rabbit to eat." She says softly.

Ruby isn't upset. She looks at Minerva.

"No. I'm good." Minerva objects.

Ruby frowns but doesn't make a fuss. She seems content.

When Lincoln, Red, and C-101 returns, we have bountiful amounts of food. Three rabbits and a young deer that Red stabbed to death.

Lincoln gives Ruby a icy glare when he sees Ruby near his sister. Ruby sees this expression and inches away from Parker Kate.

When nighttime comes, I am still in disbelief of what happened. I know this behavior of Ruby is abnormal. I ponder her fascination with these infecteds.

It's actually disturbing that she thinks they are "friendly." She could have gotten herself killed if I didn't kill it. I care for this child with all of my heart. But I wish I knew what is exactly wrong with her.

Ruby sleeps with me on the floor that night. I lay on my back, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Ruby's head is on my chest, laying on me like a pillow. She looks adorable when she sleeps. Content and peaceful. A single, long blanket is covering us. I plant a soft kiss on her head.

Eventually, we will leave this cabin and begin traveling again. I can only hope Ruby doesn't behave erratically when we do.

 _ **Next chapter will come soon. Working on other stories and updating more. Reviews and thoughts.**_


	44. Trust and Distrust

It is the very next day when we leave the cabin. The snow begins to melt and the Earth soil becomes moist.

We all trot through the forest for several hours in the chilling forest. I tightly hold Ruby's warm hand, keeping her close.

Teddy is ahead, paying me no attention at all. She has her gun firmly in her hand, ready to shoot at any passing danger. I glance at Minerva and Lily, I notice Lily's ashen complexion.

"We should set up camp," Lincoln announces after we walk far enough into the forest. Lincoln leads us to a good camping spot for tonight. We were surrounded by thick trees and bushes. Teddy proceeds to create a fire and Red scans the area for infected.

C-101 counts all of the remaining food we have left.

We were all gathering rocks and sticks for the fire when Lily abruptly faints.

She falls face first onto the ground in front of me and Minerva. Minerva gasps sharply, she leaps to her friend.

"LILY! ARE YOU OKAY?" Minerva breaks down into tears. She demonstrates that she is easily panicked. "Lily!" She whimpers. Minerva shakes an unconscious Lily roughly. "WAKE UP!"

Her face is beet red and blotchy. "Oh my God. Lily?" She weeps brokenly.

I grab Minerva's arm to keep her calm. "Calm down, Minerva," I tell her. Minerva springs up, hyperventilating.

"Lily fainted!" Minerva croaks. "We need to get help!"

I remain composed, contemplating what to do. "We need to be calm. We don't want to attract infecteds!"

Minerva wipes the tears away from her cheeks. "Okay...okay...I'll get help!" Minerva gasps. With that, she sprints to the camping grounds. I bend down to be close to Lily. I turn her over onto her back. Her face is drenched with sweat, her face is pale as the snow.

I place my hand over her forehead. I yank my hand away upon feeling the scorching heat emitting from her forehead.

I hear light footsteps and I whirl around to see Lincoln and Minerva approaching us with his prepared archery gear. "What happened?" He whispers once he comes to us.

"Lily's sick," I reveal. Lincoln glances at her. "Is she breathing?" He asks me calmly. I see Lily's chest heave up and down. I nod. "Yes," I say.

"Can you carry her?" He inquire.

I nod. "I'll try." I wrap my arms around Lily. Minerva assists me and helps me bring Lily to her feet.

Lincoln escorts us back to the camping grounds. Me and Minerva gently places Lily on her back.

Parker Kate gasps when she sees Lily. "Is she okay?" She asks. Ruby stands next to her with a rare frown. She looks at Parker Kate as she is stupid. "No. She's dying." Ruby says sharply.

Parker Kate becomes tearful.

Lincoln shoots Ruby a dark scowl. "Get away from Parker Kate now!" He orders sternly. Ruby shakes her head in defiance. "No. I'm telling her the truth. Look at her, she is dying!" She insist.

Minerva's voice is gentle. "Lily is not dying. She is just really sick."

Ruby doesn't appear convinced but becomes quiet. Then as if on cue, Lily stirs. She opens her glassy eyes.

Minerva gasps emotionally. "LILY!"

Lily finds the strength to sit upright. She appears disoriented. "Oh...my...stomach.." She croaks. Ashen-faced and sweaty, the girl clutches her stomach tightly. A river of a mixture of putrid vomit and blood spilled from her mouth. I stagger away, Minerva shrieks, and Parker Kate gags.

Ruby is completely calm. "I told you she is dying." She says nonchalantly.

"Shut up!" Lincoln snaps. Lincoln appears disgusted but keeps a cool head. The foul stench of the vomit burns my nostrils. Lily's clothes were drenched with her vomit. She begins to convulse and twitches erratically.

Parker Kate stares at her in horror. Ruby looks on with intrigued eyes.

Minerva sobs brokenly. "What is wrong with her?"

Red hurries over to us to see the scene. She is wide eyed by Lily's condition.

"What the fuck?" C-101 appears behind me. "What the hell is wrong with her?"

Minerva chokes out a hysterical sob. "I don't know!"

Lincoln puts down his archery gears on the ground and he scoops up Lily in his arms. He is remarkably strong and carries her to the simmering campfire for warmth. He gently places Lily on her side.

Parker Kate is trembling with fright.

There's not much to do for Lily. No blankets, no warm shelter, or medicine.

When night time comes, we all gather around the fire for warmth as we begin to sleep for tonight.

Exhausted, I wake up in the middle of the night from the urging of my full bladder.

I have to stifle my alarmed gasp when I see Ruby and Parker Kate missing. My heart jerks with terror. Everyone is soundly asleep.

I decide to go look for them myself. I arm myself with my switchblade and I cautiously head into the forest.

I keep my voice a harsh whisper. "RUBY! PARKER!" But I get no answer. I am swallowed within the ominous darkness of the forest, the only light I am given is the silver shimmering of the full moon.

Then my heart skips a beat when I hear a bloodcurdling scream. It is long-winded and high pitched.

I sprint towards it. I nearly trip over fallen branches as I hurry towards the screaming.

I have no idea how long I have been running, my lungs painfully tighten.

The screaming ceases when I exit the forest to see a long bridge. From the distance, I could see the two girls. My heart fills to the brim with terror when I see the horde of infected racing to the bridge.

"Shit!" I cry, running faster to the bridge. As I run, I hear Ruby giggling wildly. She waves her arms lively. "COME ON!" Ruby coaxes the infected. Parker Kate is trying her hardest to pull her to safety by yanking her arm, but Ruby refuses to budge.

When I make to the entrance of the bridge, I shout out. "RUN!" Parker Kate snaps her head to me, I see that she is armed with a hammer.

Parker Kate gives Ruby one good yank. "Come on!" She says. But then a runner charges at Ruby. Roaring and growling madly, it sprints.

In a rare moment, Ruby showcases terror. No longer did she express happiness or joy, she leaps back and screams at the top of her lungs.

But it is too late, the runner is inches away from Ruby and I am five feet away. The runner pounces on a screeching Ruby, knocking Parker Kate to the ground.

Parker Kate is swift. With fearful eyes, she springs up. Parker Kate is unable to stop shaking when she bashes the runner's head in with the hammer, preventing it from killing Ruby.

I sprint to it, armed with my knife. When I am finally close, I penetrate the side of its head with my knife, killing it instantly.

Ruby lays down on her back, sobbing brokenly. I shove the corpse off of her as more infected approaches.

I have no time to comfort Ruby as more charges at us. Their roars pierce my eardrums, my heart impulses wildly.

"Parker, Ruby, get behind me!" I yell. Parker Kate leaps behind me, then in midway decides to help a limp Ruby and pulls the back of her shirt. "Come on!" She cries, yanking Ruby behind me with all of her strength.

There are countless amounts of them. Roaring Runners ravenous for human flesh, their orange eyes brimful of bloodlust, their stampeding footsteps thunders on the wooden flooring.

"DAMMIT!" When the infected from the horde lunge at me, I do my best to kill all of those who come close to me. Stabbing them in the most vital places for an instant death.

I use all of my energy to ensure that the girls are safely behind me.

Ruby shrieks at the top of her lungs. I hear Parker Kate trying to comfort her by whispering to her.

"SHIT!" I find myself blindsided by a Runner. I fall on my back with an erratic Runner on top of me. My knife falls out of my hand. My heart thumps in my chest when I see the infected charging at the girls. Ruby is shaking like a leaf, still screaming her head off. Her shrill screams lure the Runners to them.

Eyes widen, breaths ragged and harsh, Parker Kate forces herself to be brave. She manages to hold her hammer in her shaking grip. She jams her free fist into her mouth to stifle the scream of terror.

I kick and squirm against the Runner with all of my might. All I can do is hold him off of me. I feel stupid for coming alone.

Ruby finally snaps back into reality and staggers away from Parker Kate as the Runners charge at her. Ruby's eyes flick at my knife. "HERE!" She swiftly kicks it to me with her foot. She kicks it hard enough for it to be in the gripping distance. I snatch it and I penetrate the brain of the Runner with great force.

I shove off the Runner with my lungs compressing. Parker Kate keeps her distance, her small statute prevents her from killing them at close range.

I scramble to my feet as one Runner lunges at her, within seconds, Parker Kate swings the hammer across the Runner's face, causing it to stagger back. Parker Kate backs away.

I catch a glimpse of Ruby gazing at the infecteds with an unreadable emotion. I immediately charge to the approaching infected, killing all of those near me. I keep my distance, keenly peeking out of the corner of my eyes. Some infected have very little interest in me, running past me before I can kill them.

I hear Ruby's voice behind me and my blood runs cold. "Come on, it's okay. I know. I know you guys just want to play with us. I'm sorry about my friends." She says in a childish tone.

I stab the Runner in the eyeball, I whirl around with my blade towards another one to slit it's rotten throat.

Piles of dead infecteds stacks at my feet. Blood is caked on my arms and clothes. I leap backwards to protect Ruby and Parker Kate. I whirl around to see a stampeding Runner charging at a smiling Ruby. Parker Kate releases out a small shriek as she inches to the edge of the side of the bridge, trying to evade them. Ruby is closer to me, "NO!" I pounce on the Runner's back and I penetrate the infected in the back of the head, killing it instantly.

Ruby responses by screeching at the top of her lungs. "NOOOOO!" As the Runner falls to the floor in a sickening thud. I yank my knife out of it's skull.

Ruby looks at me tearfully. She says nothing to me, her head snaps to Parker Kate who is stunning the infecteds with her hammer.

Ruby springs to her feet before I can do anything. She sprints to Parker Kate with hysterical tears. With a stifled scream trapped in my lungs, I am not fast enough for when Ruby lunges at Parker Kate, shoving her clear off the bridge.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" A terrified cry escapes my throat. I proceed to kill the stunned Runner by jamming my knife into its jugular vein.

Ruby falls to her knees with wide eyes. "PARKER KATE!" She screams.

Terrified, I look down the bridge at the water. It is too dark to see anything. I can barely see anything or anyone. "NO!" Tears pour out of my eyes in grief.

I have no time to mourn. With the roaring in my ears, I waste no time in attacking all of the infected charging at me. I kill every single one.

Finally we were safe.

My eyes meet Ruby's eyes with utmost horror. Ruby coughs out a broken sob. "I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO!" She hollers. "I didn't want to see any more of them die!" I just stare at Ruby in utter silence. My mind goes completely blank.

"HELP!"

The unexpected shriek of Parker Kate snaps me back into reality. My mouth drops when my eyes are met with the sight of a dangling Parker Kate hanging on the lower edge of the bridge, holding on for dear life.

She is a drop away from the deep waters.

"Pull up!" Ruby shouts at her.

I'm not sure if Parker Kate listened to Ruby or was subconsciously did it, but she uses all of her strength to pull herself up.

I suppose adrenaline is just rushing through her veins as she manages to arch her up well enough to swing her right leg to plop on the edge. I struggle to control my breathing and I extend out my hand to her.

She is too far. Parker Kate releases out a painful cry when she thrusts her upper body to make her other leg to plop on the edge. Parker Kate springs up, from her position, if she makes one misstep, she will plummet into the water.

"KEEP GOING!" Ruby shouts vehemently.

Parker Kate becomes drenched in sweat when she manages to cling her fingers to the upper edge, there I could reach her hand.

Within seconds, I grasp her icy hand. Since Parker Kate is small and young, her weight is light enough for me to pull her up.

When I yank her up, I fling Parker Kate into my arms. Instantly, Parker Kate wraps her arms around my neck, sobbing into my shoulder unceasingly.

Her cries are shrill and uncontrollable, I fear that infected will be attracted. With Parker Kate clinging to me like a lifeline, I hurry after the bridge with Ruby behind me.

We sprint straight for the camping grounds.

When we arrive, we noisily spill in, immediately stirring everyone awake.

Lincoln shoots up when he hears Parker Kate's pitiful weeping.

He scrambles to his feet and bolts to me.

"Parker!" He cry, he swiftly scoops Parker Kate out of my arms. The little girl still in hysterics, clutches to her brother.

"I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!" Parker Kate apologizes profusely. Lincoln embraces her with wide eyes. "You're okay. You're okay." Parker Kate is inconsolable.

Minerva approaches me. "Are you okay? What happened?" Her eyes gleaning with compassion, she hurries to a tearful Ruby. "Are you okay?"

Ruby swiftly nods. "I'm fine." She sniffles. Ruby lowers her eyes to the ground.

I avoid staring at Ruby, all I could think of was her shoving Parker Kate off the bridge.

"Why would you guys in the woods?" C-101 demands angrily. His eyes locks onto mine. "What happened?"

I decide to reveal events. I take in a deep breath.

"Parker Kate and Ruby wander into the forest...and I found them on the bridge. There were infected.." A nervous Minerva interrupts me.

"IS SHE INFECTED?" Minerva gasp frantically.

"No. We were attacked, but," I showcase all of the blood on me. "I took care of it."

Parker Kate begins to calm down slowly.

Lincoln narrows his eyes, his voice is gentle, but strict. "What happened? Why were you in the forest with Ruby?" He shoots a cold glare to Ruby.

Parker Kate struggles to talk through her soft sobs. "Ruby kept asking me too. She said that she saw something. She wanted to show me something!"

Ruby tries to defend herself. "I didn't mean for anything to happen."

"Shut up!" Lincoln snarls.

Parker Kate begins to tremble uncontrollably. She begins to sob hysterically. This time, Lincoln doesn't try to pry out answers to her.

I turn to Ruby with a stern expression. I want answers from her now. I grab her hand firmly and I escort her away from the group.

"What the hell were you thinking?" I hiss, unable to control the anger in my voice.

Ruby's eyes widens. "I….I..didn't mean it."

I shake my head furiously. "No, the bridge! You pushed Parker off!" I snarl.

Ruby sniffles. "I...I...didn't want those infected to die! Parker Kate and you," She shoots a angry finger at me. "Killed them!"

I have to restrain myself from slapping her.

I keep my voice gentle and slow. "Ruby, the infected will kill you if you don't kill them."

Almost like a switch being turned off, Ruby's emotions composes. Her crying ceases and she looks me directly in the eyes. "People kill people all the time." Ruby defends.

Then I remember something. "Why did you scream when that Runner attacked you?"

Ruby stiffens. "I….don't know."

I feel as if there is a break in Ruby at this moment. I desperately want her to know that Infected are not friends. They are not friendly.

"Ruby," My voice hardens with persistence. "You nearly killed Parker Kate. You nearly killed her." Ruby stares at me with thin lips.

"You could have gotten yourself killed. You nearly murdered Parker."

Ruby nods her head. "I'm sorry about pushing Parker Kate. I didn't mean anything bad to happen. I just wanted to play with Parker and explore the forest abit." She explains plainly.

I release out a large sigh.

Ruby gives me pitiful eyes. "You hate me." She weeps.

I shake my head automatically. "No. No."

Tears rolls down Ruby's cheeks. "You are mad at me, Faye." Ruby accuses. "You're just like Lincoln!"

I keep shaking my head in denial. "I do not hate you, Ruby. I am not mad at you at all." I insist.

Ruby doesn't appear convinced and continues to cry.

I decide to change the subject. "We need to go back to bed."

Ruby nods her head tearfully. "Kay," She walks over to the campfire and go to sleep.

…..

Lily's health only worsens in the morning. She is sickly pale, Lily sits up, but appears to be in a trance. I wake up to the sight of Teddy putting out the campfire. Me and her exchanges a brief look. Her eyes are cold, completely devoid of her former lively self.

I wake up Ruby to get ready to travel. Minerva hovers over Lily, struggling to retain self-control.

"Guys, we need to head back to the cabin!" Minerva declares fiercely. There we all were surrounding Minerva and Lily. Minerva's eyes burn with determination.

"We need to go back!" Minerva commands.

Lincoln shakes his head. "We can't. We're too far. How are we going to carry her?" He probes.

Minerva becomes tearful, fueled with intense emotions. "Lincoln! Lily is dying! We can carry her!" She insist.

Lincoln doesn't want to argue. "Minnie, I'm worried about Lily too. But we've been walking for a long distance. We could be miles away from that cabin!"

Minerva is stubborn as a rock. "Lincoln," She points a finger at Parker Kate. "If Parker was hurt, you would carry her to that cabin, no doubt!" Minerva points to Lily. "Lily should be the same!"

Lincoln appears deep in thought. Parker Kate tugs on Lincoln's shirt to seize his attention.

"Lincoln, maybe you could carry her on your back." She suggest.

Lincoln looks down at her. "That's not a bad idea, Parker. But we're really far out."

Parker Kate frowns. She does her best to be idealistic. "Maybe we could find a shelter out here."

Minerva is desperate to get her friend to shelter. "We just need to do something!" She flares.

Minerva helps Lily to her feet, Red assists her.

"So we're just walking out into the forest, hoping there will be shelter?" Teddy questions in a cynical voice.

Minerva shoots her a cold look. "Yes! Let's start walking!"

Then with that, we gather all of our belongings and we begin to travel deep into the forest.

 _ **In the next chapter, the group searches for a shelter for ill Lily.**_


	45. The Unexpected

I find myself staring at Ruby as we trudge through the forest. Ruby tightly holds my hand. Lily's sickening groans echo through my ears.

Teddy is ahead, next to Lincoln. She makes a great effort to isolate herself from the original group. I have suppressed all of my hurt emotions and ensure that I am composed.

"Thanks, Faye." I jerk startled upon hearing Minerva's soft voice. I turn to my head to see her walking beside me.

Tender tears drip down her puffy cheeks. "Thanks for helping Lily back there." Minerva flashes me a grateful smile. I have no energy to smile back.

I have grown to like Minerva, even though we are still acquaintances. Her personality overall is seemingly pleasant to be around. I could tell that Minerva already saw me as a friend.

When she starts talking to me, her words are swift and expressive. "I was so worried about Lily. I was terrified. I felt like my heart was going to stop," She makes dramatic gestures to emphasize her mood.

"Like Lily was dying, and I was freaking out. Losing my mind. I wondered what happened? What made her sick? I have never seen anyone puke up blood before!" Minerva says in a high pitched voice.

I act idealistically to cheer Minerva up. "Lily is going to be fine," I reassure.

Minerva smiles at me with tears in her eyes. "Thank you. You've been a great help." She says.

We all walk for countless hours, my feet begin to swell and my muscles become strained.

The sun begins to go down slowly as we trot through the thick forest.

That's when a stroke of luck hits us. I nearly burst out laughing at the convenience of this moment. We cross a small creek and walk five miles to see a strange vehicle residing in the center of the forest.

This is a vehicle that I never have seen before. A long and wide vehicle with dark windows.

Ruby yanks her hand away from me, squealing happily. "OUR RV! OUR RV!" Ruby bounces up and down in joy.

"Be quiet!" I whisper loudly.

Everyone else in the group is flabbergasted. Ruby sprints to the RV at full speed. My heart drops in my chest and I chase after her. "Calm down, Ruby! Wait!" I whisper harshly.

I make it to her and I halt her in her tracks by grabbing her shoulder. We were four feet away from the RV, the front door was opened ajar.

"Faye, this is our old RV. Mom and Dad's RV!" Ruby expresses.

I back Ruby away from the RV and I beckon Red to check the RV. Red hurries towards the RV, I catch a glimpse of Red unleashing her claws once she vanishes into the RV.

Ruby arches an eyebrow. "Why is she going in?" Ruby questions.

"Red is great at dealing with infected." I explain vaguely.

It doesn't take long for Red to search the entire RV, she exits the RV and beckons all of us inside. Ruby is the first person to dive into the RV.

I stand aside when Lincoln enters the RV with an ailing Lily.

"Whoa!" I gasp when I enter the RV. It is wide and spacious. It is tastefully decorated with a polished kitchen and a small living room adjoined. There is a narrow corridor with three bedrooms at the end of the RV. I find myself exploring the RV, not before have I seen anything lavish in my life. I head into the bedrooms out of curiosity, the first two rooms are all tastefully decorated and has an open vibe to them. The beds are soft with thick blankets and piles of pillows. The third one has two beds connected together, one is above and the other is underneath.

I soon learn that the electricity and the water did not work. The RV did have water supplies stored in the kitchen with a small number of canned foods.

"YES!" I whirl to see Minerva smiling ear to ear in the living room. She is holding a first aid kit in her hands. "Yes! I knew this was here."

Minerva instructs Lincoln to place Lily on the soft couch. Lincoln lays her gently on her back, Minerva hurries over to her and opens the first aid kit.

She pulls out a syringe and a small bottle of antibiotics. Lily wheezes weakly, she stirs with discomfort.

Minerva places a kind hand on Lily. "You're going to be fine." She removes her hand and proceeds to inject the syringe with the antibiotics. She is cautious, as she makes sure to remove all of the bubbles in the needle.

"This is going to hurt," Minerva warns. With that, she slowly injects the syringe into Lily's arm. Minerva slowly pulls it out and swiftly applies the area with gauze.

"Just rest, Lily. You're going to be fine." Minerva says gently. Minerva gingerly returns all of the medical supplies into the kit.

C-101 walks over to Minerva with an arched eyebrow. "Why did you leave this place?" He asks.

Minerva shrugs her shoulders. "The RV ran out of gas, leaving us stranded. We actually slept in the RV for a few weeks, until one day, but then we met…" She couldn't finish her sentence. I already know what she was going to say.

"But Lily will hopefully feel better. In the meantime, we can stay here for a while. There are three bedrooms. One of them has a bunk bed.

Minerva seems eager to explore the RV. "I can't believe we actually found our RV!" She says, her dampened spirits lift.

Minerva smiles brightly. "I can show you all of the rooms." She offers. Me, Red, and C-101 all accept her offer. Teddy isolates herself in the living room, sitting on a soft sofa near the front door.

Even though I have already seen the rooms, I am still enthralled by the beauty of this place.

Minerva first escorts us to her bedroom. Her bedroom consists of one thick bed and a twin size bed across the room. There is a polished dresser with a spotless mirror. Near the bedroom door is a mirror with an ebony black frame leaning on the wall.

"I missed this place so much!" Minerva muses.

C-101 paces around the room, examining everything in his sight. "This looks expensive. Where did you get all of this?"

Minerva whirls around to answer him. "Mom and Dad were government officials in the Zone. Mom was a nurse and Dad worked for FEDRA. So they were very well off." Longingness flows in her voice.

"When the Zone fell, Mom and Dad got all of us and just drove," Minerva shakes her head with a disturbed look. She clearly remembered a horrible memory. Her lips quivers. "It was terrible. There were so much fire and gunshots. It was just awful."

I just gaze at my surroundings as I attentively listen.

Minerva composes herself quickly. "We should just continue the tour." She declares. We head to the other bedrooms. Parker Kate and Lincoln were making up the bed in the room. Similar to Minerva, it consists of a large bed and a small bed.

When I see Parker Kate, I wonder if she told Lincoln about Ruby. I suppose not, because Lincoln would be losing his mind by now.

So if she didn't, why? Maybe she is too scared to talk about it? Perhaps she developed trauma from it? Or maybe she doesn't want conflicts within the group? I have no clue.

Minerva ends the tour by showing us to our room. The third room with bunk beds and one couch.

"Hope you like it here." Minerva chirps. Then she hurries out of the room.

I turn to C-101 for his input. "How do you feel?"

C-101 appears deep in thought. "Pretty good. These new people aren't that bad."

I feel like a pile of bricks fell on my head. My lips curls with eagerness. "Oh wait, I thought you said no one new people." I tease playfully.

C-101 rolls his eyes. "Shut up, Faye. This place seems nice. Better than the forest." He says dismissively.

I couldn't help but laugh at C-101 regardless.

Promptly we all find our slumbering places. I choose the top bunk and Red chooses the bottom. C-101 takes the soft couch and I give him a blanket from one of the dressers in our room. Teddy, wanting nothing to do with me, chose to sleep in the rooms of the new group. Ruby settles in her own bedroom.

I enjoy the softness of the bed. I love the warmth, the comfortable and pleasant warmth. The blankets give me security. I feel like I am floating on a cloud.

"Faye," C-101 suddenly asks me. I turn my head to him. He appears confused. "Why isn't Teddy clinging onto you?"

I sigh wearily. "I….I…." My voice trails off. I honestly didn't want to talk about it.

"Because you two were just obsessed with each other." C-101 remarks.

I feel my mind becoming strained. All of my frustrations pent up inside of me.

"She...she just doesn't want to be around me anymore," I admit haltingly.

C-101 arches an eyebrow. "What happened?"

"I lied. I lied to her. About her parents." I croak vaguely.

C-101's eyes widen. "Oh, well what happened to her parents?"

I feel tears building up in my eyes. "They killed themselves. Left Teddy all by herself. I lied to her to protect her. I didn't want her to know. But….now...she hates me."

I sniffle emotionally. I expect C-101 to keep probing me, but instead, he changes the subject. "How's the other kid? You know, the crazy one?"

I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know. I care for her. I do. But her mind...is just off." I say. It feels good to spill out all of my troubles.

C-101 scoffs. "Yeah, that's why she's nuts! What moron thinks the infected are friendly? I'm shocked she isn't bitten yet!"

"That's my worst fear," I reveal. "Lincoln told me she hears things and thinks weirdly. But I never expected this."

"Speaking of which, what happened that night? Parker Kate was going on about a bridge incident."

I am hesitant. My voice molds with seriousness. "Look, I'm going to tell you something serious. So you must keep it a secret." I say.

C-101 appears alarmed. "Why? What is it?" He questions.

"Just keep it a secret? Promise?"

C-101 lazily shrugs his shoulders. "Fine. Promise." He grumbles.

I take a deep breath as I reveal the truth. "Ruby shoved Parker off the bridge."

C-101's eyes grow wide, I hear commotion under my bed and when I peek down, I see Red with wide eyes as well.

"She tried to kill someone?" C-101 gasps. "That bitch is crazy!"

I sit upright. "I couldn't believe either. Parker was defending herself when Ruby pushed her. Parker barely survived it."

C-101 arches an eyebrow. "And you want no one to know because why?"

"Because Lincoln will lose it. I don't think Parker wants to talk about it herself. I just need to watch Ruby and make sure she knows that the infected are bad."

C-101 rolls his eyes. "The little bitch should already know that. She's not a toddler. She knows better. If she thinks playing with Clickers is a good idea, let her." He says coldly.

I pucker my lips offended. "Excuse me, but Ruby isn't a bitch. I'm going to get through her."

C-101 rolls his eyes. "You can't get through crazy, Faye. The girl is too far gone. She tried to kill someone." He points out.

I understand C-101's words. But I can't just abandon Ruby.

"I'm going to get through her." I insist.

C-101 shrugs his shoulders and gives up. "Whatever, that's your afflictions." He concludes.

I am up all night, tossing and turning. I could not find the strength to find peace. I think of all of the events that have occurred to us.

I avoid thinking of the horrors I experienced in that lodge. I avoid thinking of Teddy and I's destoryed relationship.

All I focus on is Ruby. I decide that I am not going to give her a weapon yet. I want her to learn how to hunt.

I lay in bed in the middle of the night, pondering deeply to myself.

Then I hear a soft knock on the door and Ruby's small voice.

"Faye?" Automatically I hop off of my bed and I hurry to the door. When I open the door, I am met with the sight of a shaking Ruby.

She looks at me with pitiful eyes. "Can I sleep with you?" She begs.

I stand in the doorway, blinking my exhausted eyes. "Um...sure." I flash her a small smile.

Ruby smiles happily in response.

With that, I allow in Ruby into the bedroom. "Bad dream?" I question, keeping my voice soft.

Ruby nods. "A lot of them." She admits. She climbs up to my bunk bed. I crawl in after her. I wrap my arms around her, embracing her tightly. Ruby cuddles to me with a small smile printed on her fresh face.

"Faye, I'm sorry," Ruby whispers softly. "I didn't mean to hurt Parker. I'm sorry."

I accept her apology. "I know. Did you apology to Parker?"

"Yes." Ruby whisper.

Ruby embraces me warmly. "I want to be helpful to the group." She vows. "I can be."

I give Ruby a serious look. "I want you to learn how to defend yourself from the infected."

Ruby's eyes become tearful. "But.." I cut her off. I remain calm.

"When you were on that bridge, you screamed when one came at you," I point out. Thoughtfulness floods Ruby's face.

"You had the right reaction. You know that they are not friendly. They're monsters."

Ruby opens her mouth to protest. I already know what her excuse is.

"People may kill people, but they're doing the same thing. They're sick people who want to kill you."

"You will have to kill. To protect yourself. If you don't, you'll die." I state.

Tears flow down Ruby's cheeks. She sniffles loudly. "I know…" She croaks. Her voice gains strength. "I know how to defend myself. I have before."

"What do you mean?"

"People. There were times when we would get attacked by robbers...one day...I saw Daddy fighting this guy with a huge gun. I shot him."

I smile at that. "That's good. You defended yourself and your Dad."

Ruby's eyes glisten. "Is being infected that bad?" She inquires.

"Yes. It's horrible. You go crazy and you hurt people. You kill people." I say gravely.

"Do you think they just want to make more people like them? Maybe they're just misunderstood? Maybe we could listen to them and try to be nice to them."

"No. They are just crazed monsters who will kill you."

Ruby appears thoughtful. She doesn't want to talk any longer and slips into slumber.

I plant a light kiss on her forehead.

* * *

"Lily is feeling better," Ruby comments to me the next morning. There we were, all of us sitting in the living room, eating canned food. Lily is isolated from us, sleeping on the couch. She did look better than before. Her fever has died down, she no longer sweats.

Minerva is in high spirits over her friend's recovery. She is bursting with joy, chattering off the annoyed ears of Lincoln. Parker Kate quietly eats her meal and watches on.

Minerva's lively eyes flick to me once everyone finishes their meal. "Faye! Red! I have something to show you!" She springs to her feet and beckons us to follow her.

Curiously, I get up from my seat and I follow her. Red is close behind us when we enter the bedroom.

"What?" I ask her.

Minerva beams. "Well for helping me and my group out so much, I thought I could give you a makeover!" She expresses.

I arch my eyebrow. "A what?" I ask dumbly.

"Makeover. You know cosmetics. Lipsticks...blush…."

"Never heard of it."

Minerva gasps sharply, she looks at me as if I had two heads. "Oh my God, you never heard of makeup! Are you kidding me? No way!" She grabs my arm urgently. "You need to learn now!"

With that, she whisks me to a chair facing the dresser. On the dresser is piles of bottles, cases of makeup products, and a small bowl of water. Minerva sits me down and tells me to stay put. "You need an entirely new outfit!" She exclaims.

I can't help but be intrigued by this.

Minerva bends down and pulls out one of the drawers. She pulls out clothing for me. Three skirts, two pants, three blouses, four shirts, and three dresses. She places them gently onto her neatly made bed. Minerva stands beside her bed, glancing at the clothes and then at me.

"Hmm….I think...either red or black is a good color for you." With that, she collects a frilly blouse that is crimson red. Minerva smiles at it charmingly. "This will look fabulous on you." She comments. Then she grabs a dark skirt and places on top of the blouse.

I glance at Red, looking bored. She leans on the wall of the room, gazing at her surroundings.

"Now, let's start our makeup session!" Minerva announces.

I push a bang out of my eyes. "Is this really important?" I didn't mind any of this, but I did wonder if this was crucial.

"Critically important." Minerva insists. She points at Red with a smile. "Then she's next."

With that, Minerva goes to one of the draws and receive a towel out. She dips the towel into the small bowl of water, dampening it.

"Now, I must wash your face." She says. With that, Minerva wipes my skin with icy water. I muster all of my willpower to not flinch as the coldness sends discomfort through my body.

Minerva does her best to scrub my face clean when she pulls away the towel, it is caked with brown dirt.

"Jesus!" Minerva comments in shock. She tosses the towel aside in disgust. I gasp when I look in the mirror. There is a baby-faced girl with pimply skin staring back at me.

Minerva taps her finger on the dresser. "Well, you definitely need a facial. You have so many pimples and zits."

With that, she grabs one white bottle and pours white cream into her palm. Minerva smears the cream onto my moist skin. It is icy and I have to use all of my will not to yank away.

I feel Minerva's ginger fingers pressing against my skin. She rubs in the cream, covering my face with a white mask.

I feel relaxed at this moment, my muscles loosen, and my mind stops racing.

Unfortunately, that pleasure is short lived when my skin begins to burn. "Ah! Get it off!" I demand in pain.

Minerva is calm. "Don't worry, it's just cleaning your pores." She reassures me. "Don't worry, it's not long."

I bite my lower lip as my skin simmers. I hate this feeling so much. I remember a sensation in the deepest depths of my mind. Something scorching hot. Fear seeps into my psyche, I didn't understand this fear, but nonetheless, my body begins to stiffen.

"Please get it off!" I beg.

Minerva appears concerned and receives a clean towel. She wets it and swiftly wipes my face thoroughly.

"Are you okay?" She asks me when she wipes the cream. Cool air hits my fresh skin.

I shake off this fear and compose myself. "Yes. I'm fine." I lie. "Just keep going." I urge.

Minerva doesn't want to press me. "Well, no more facial stuff for you. I'm just going to skip to the makeover part."

With that, she grabs a lipstick and paints my lips blood red.

"Now for some blush." Minerva opens a case and a bushy brush. The case has light pink substance within it. She brushes the blush onto my cheeks. "Beautiful!" Minerva gushes.

Before I know it, Minerva paints my face with various makeup products. My face appears vastly different. Unblemished, fair, and defined bone structure. I couldn't help but to admire myself. I find myself in deep disbelief to realize this is me in the mirror.

Minerva bounces up and down in joy."You look so beautiful!" She squeals. "Now time for your hair and then dress up time."

By now, Red has departed from the bedroom.

Minerva brushes and combs my knotty hair firmly. "Your hair is so messy!" She comments in frustration.

"I never had time to do much with my hair," I say back.

Minerva is able to brush out a knot. I release out a small shriek of pain.

Once my hair is simmering with pain and straightened, Minerva proceeds to braid my hair into a single braid.

"You look amazing!" She gushes.

I look at myself and I am in awe.

Minerva whirls around to the clothing. She hands me the clothing she picked for me. "Go change." She urges.

I grab the clothing and I hurry to the nearest bathroom. I slip into comfortable clothing. I toss away my clothing and I gaze at myself in the mirror. I look nothing like my usual self.

I return to Minerva's bedroom and Minerva gasps adoringly at me. "AMAZING!" I feel my cheeks reddening. I never had this kind of attention before.

I like it. Warmth fills my body.

"Thanks." I say. I look down at my skirt. "I don't think this is appropriate for hunting."

"Well, you can borrow some of my clothes. I got long sleeves shirts you can borrow." Minerva offers.

I smile warmly.

Minerva saunters over to me. "We need to show everyone your new look!" She chirps. Minerva doesn't give me a choice, she grabs my shoulders and pushes me out of the bedroom. "Come on." Minerva escorts me to the living room to see everyone.

C-101's eyes widen with alarm. "What happened to your face?" He asks me.

Ruby smiles brightly at me. "YOU LOOK SO PRETTY!" Ruby squeals happily.

I feel completely flustered from all of my eyes on me.

Minerva beams. "Yep, from the fashion Queen," Minerva gestures to herself proudly.

She points to Red and beckons her to come with her. "Your turn!" She sings. Minerva doesn't wait, she swiftly hurries over to Red and grabs her arm. Red doesn't fight her, but does glare at her as Minerva happily escorts her to her bedroom.

Lincoln appears disinterested.

"You looks very pretty!" Ruby hurries over to me and embraces me. Her eyes shimmer with adoration.

I smile.

I could hear Minerva giggling her head off.

"We need to focus on hunting. Soon this food will run out." Lincoln states. Lincoln looks at C-101. "Later in the day, we need to start hunting."

"Yep." C-101 agrees.

A full hour passes when Red emerges out of Minerva's room, looking brand new. Her hair is straightened and tied into a glossy ponytail. Her face cleansed of all dirt, her fair skin is vibrant. She wears an appealing frilly dress with matching tights.

"Wow!" I express when I see her. Red, as always showed no emotions, she appears blank-faced. Minerva smiles widely regardless. "She looks pretty, right?" She gushes.

Lincoln is not amused. "Minerva, enough with this makeup nonsense. We need to focus on surviving!" He chides. "These stupid makeup sessions can wait!" With that, he grabs his archery gear.

C-101 beckons me to come along. "Come on, we need all the help we can get. We need enough food for us to any other snowfall."

I nod in agreement. "Kay." I say as I head to Minerva's bedroom. I grab a red long sleeve shirt and dark blue pants. I slip into a leather brown coat. I pull out my hunting knife from my possession.

I walk out of the bedroom bypassed by Red.

I walk over to Lincoln and C-101.

"Mind if I come?" I whirl around to see Minerva in hunting attire. She has a kitchen knife in her hand. "I think I should pitch in to help." She smiles brightly.

"You hate hunting." Lincoln remarks.

Minerva lazily shrugs. "Lincoln, I want to help out. With Lily sick and everything, we need to all pitch in!" She exclaims fiercely.

When Red dresses in hunting attire, we exit the RV. Minerva is halfway out when she turns to the little ones. "Do not leave the RV. Stay put." She orders.

Parker Kate nods obediently.

I give Ruby a short wave and we hurry away from the RV and into the forest.

The remaining snow makes crunching noises when I step. Lincoln shoots at the passing deers, C-101 and Red hunts dashing rabbits, and I choose to fish.

I head to the creek to see the small fish trapped by the harsh current. I bend over the creek, impaling the fish one by one.

When I collect six fishes, I smile proudly at myself. I carry the fish in my arms as I go back to find the rest of the group.

I trot through the forest, enjoying the beauty of the forest. For so long, I have lived my life within nature. I feel so much security at this moment. For once, this entire day has been the happiest day of my life. Today, I finally find myself smiling out of happiness.

I find C-101 and Red first. Red has piles of deceased rabbits in her arms. C-101 looks at me and examining my catch. "Good job." C-101 praises.

Then Lincoln emerges out of the forest with a deceased fox. "I wasn't able to kill a deer, so I managed to get this adult fox." He explains. Minerva has a small rabbit in her arms. "I managed to get a rabbit for dinner." Minerva reports.

"This is great. All of this is good. We have enough." C-101 concludes.

But Lincoln is stubborn. "Go on without me. I want to try to get another fox." He declares. C-101 shrugs his shoulders dismissively. "Fine." With that, the rest of us all head back to the RV. We trot through the forest and into the center.

I stop in my tracks when I am met with the sight of the RV. I drop everything and my mouth drops at this horrifying sight.

"Ruby?" My voice cracks. I stand frozen at the sight of a smiling Ruby standing in front of the RV. Her clothes drenched in crimson, her hands slick with red. My eyes are fixated on the bloody five-inch-long kitchen knife she is holding.

I see a deceased Clicker laying near the RV. Did Ruby kill it? I wonder. I want to think that, but deep down in my gut, I know she has done something unspeakable.

Ruby just stands there, blood-soaked and smiling senselessly.

"Holy shit!" C-101 cries out.

Minerva gasps sharply. "Oh my God!"

When I snap back into reality, I run to Ruby, I catch a glimpse of inside the RV. Blood paints the front door and on the floor.

I am full of terror, all of the positivity I felt is gone.

When I approach Ruby, my heart races. I couldn't fathom what is happening.

I jerk startled when Ruby speaks to me. Her voice is cheerful.

"It's okay. I listened to them." She chirps childishly.

I am unable to utter out words, my throat is clotted. I just stare at her in utmost horror.

Ruby's eyes is devoid of sanity. She is just looking through me. "Everything is okay, Faye. Now we can all be friends." She reassures me.

My mind goes blank as my eyes flick to the RV. I do my best to contain my composure. "Ruby, give me the knife." I order her.

Ruby doesn't move. She says nothing to me. I gaze at her clothing, there is so much blood on her. There is a powerful stench of iron in the air.

I know I must be calm, I can't lose my nerve. "Ruby, please, give me the knife." I order gently. I slowly reach for the knife. Ruby doesn't even seem to be aware of my action. She acts as if she is in a self-induced trance.

When I grab it, I gingerly pull it out of her frozen grip.

I look at it to see it is just covered in blood. From the blade to the handle. Minerva bypasses us and enters the RV.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Minerva releases an ear-splitting scream of horror. My curiosity gets the best of me and I find myself rushing into the RV.

The first thing I see is blood.

Blood in the kitchen, blood in the living room, a blood trail leading from one of the bedrooms. It is a bloodbath. I examine the area, it looks like there was a struggle, I see bloody handmarks on the walls and floor. The RV's environment is tainted. No longer is it free and open. Just horrifying and dreadful.

I jump out of fright when I am met with the sight of a stabbed Lily on the couch. Her blood bled into the fabric of the couch, darkening it. Her eyes were shut close and her face is white as snow. There were multiple stab wounds in her chest. They were deep and bleeding profusely.

"TEDDY!" I scream. Teddy is on the sofa, sitting limply. A bite mark engraved into her right hand. One bloody stab wound in the center of her stomach. Teddy is struggling to contain oxygen.

"TEDDY!" I run to her with tears in my eyes. "Are you okay?" I wheeze.

Teddy is sweating beads, she looks up at me with quivering eyes. "P...Parker…" She breathes.

My heart jerks. My mind is just racing. Without thinking, I jolt down the corridor to follow the bloody trail.

"AHHHHHHH!" A bloodcurdling scream escapes my throat when I see a bloody Parker Kate full of multiple stab wounds laying on her thick bed. Her blood almost completely saturates the blanket she is lying on.

"PARKER!" I shriek. She is completely motionless. My legs become wobbly. My lungs begin to choke me as my mind overwhelms my entire body.

A powerful force hits me, making me lose my balance and blacking out before I hit the floor.

 _ **Next chapter soon.**_


	46. Goodbye

I am shaken back into consciousness by a shouting C-101. When my eyes open, my vision blurs. My mind is swimming, my limbs are trembling. The stench of fresh blood swarms me. "Faye! Faye! Wake up!" C-101 yells at me as I stir. When my vision regains, C-101 extends out a hand to me. I take it and he pulls me to my feet. When I whirl to see the source of my fainting, I have to fight another fainting spell.

Parker Kate's condition is a terror-stricken sight to witness. Her small body is punctured with countless amounts of stab wounds. From her legs, her arms, her chest, her stomach, and her torso.

She lays limply on her back, her eyes shut, her arms stretched out, and blood painting her clothes and the blanket underneath her.

"Oh my God.." I mutter in disbelief. My mind jerks back and forth with great force.

I hear Minerva hyperventilating in the living room. "OH MY GOD! NO! NO!" She appears in the doorway and freezes at the sight of Parker Kate. "OH MY GOD! NO!" She screeches.

Minerva spills into the room, tears of hysteria rushing down her cheeks. "PARKER! PARKER!" She cries frantically.

Minerva hurries to the bed, shaking uncontrollably. With a trembling finger, she puts her fingers onto Parker Kate's neck. Time seems to slow down. Every single second feels like an hour. My heart quickens, my lungs strangles me, I keep fighting the urge to faint.

"Oh my God….okay…" Minerva breathes roughly. She removes her finger. "She's alive...barely...oh my God…" She clumsily darts out of the bedroom. I hear Minerva falling onto the floor several times in the living room.

"I got it! I got!" She shrieks.

Then Minerva spills into the bedroom with the first aid kit. "Everything is going to be okay…." She mutters to herself.

C-101 grabs my shoulder abruptly. "Where's the crazy bitch?" He demands.

"Outside," I say automatically. I'm planted into the floor, I do not know what I should do.

"XANDER! FAYE! HELP ME! I NEED YOUR HELP!" Minerva yells at us. I feel my body jerking startled.

Minerva opens the kit to pull out stitching supplies and a bottle of antibiotics. Even though I can tell Minerva is terrified and grief-stricken, she still manages to keep a level head to some degree.

With a quivering finger, she points to the nearby dresser. "GET ME SOME TOWELS! I NEED TO STOP THE BLEEDING! GO!" She commands urgently. C-101 gives me a rough nudge to snap me back into reality.

Automatically, I follow Minerva's orders. I open the draws to find neatly folded towels. I grab a stack of them and C-101 takes them from me.

"Put pressure on the wound!" Minerva orders.

C-101 holds a towel and examines Parker Kate's wounds. "Which one?" He asks.

Minerva grows angry, she presses on a stab wound on Parker Kate's chest. "ANY OF THEM!" She hiss.

I apply pressure to her torso area. I count at least five wounds in total. The towels become drenched with blood immediately.

Before I know it, Parker Kate is pressed with dozens of towels.

Parker Kate remains motionless, her entire body is ice cold. "You're going to be fine! You're going to be fine!" It is exactly 10 minutes when her blood flow from her lower body ceases. But her upper body continues to profusely bleed. Minerva continues to shout orders. "Xander, Faye, you need to clean the wounds!" Then as if on cue, Red appears in the doorway with a bowl of water.

I do not waste time and I grab some clean towels. I dunk the towels into the water, I yank the towels out and I sprint back to the scene. I toss C-101 one towel and I proceed to wash Parker Kate's lower wounds. I scrub it as hard as I could. "SLOW DOWN! DON'T BE ROUGH!" Minerva admonishes me. I stop and I gently scrub.

"Get the stitches! Please!"

Red scurries over to the kit and receives the stitching supplies. "Red, please, apply pressure of her chest! I need to stitch her wounds up!" Red obediently nods and takes Minerva's place. Minerva goes to one of the wounds I have cleaned. I wince upon seeing the needle piercing into her wound. My skin begins to crawl. I am impressed by Minerva's medical skills here. She is cautious and thorough with her stitching. Minerva sews the wound as best as she could. Sweat drenches her brows. All of her attention is fixated on her stitching.

I hear her softly mumbling to herself to keep her nerves.

Minerva's movement is slow but diligent. She takes her time stitching up every single wound she could.

Her creme colored sweater is coated with blood, her hands were slick.

Then Parker Kate begins to stir. It is a small and brief movement, but it is noticeable. "PARKER!" I cry. Parker Kate says nothing, her eyes remain shut.

C-101 continues to scrub her arm wounds as gently as he could.

"Faye, you should go check on Teddy! I think me and the others are good here!" Minerva tells me suddenly.

I nod. "Okay!" I breathe. My heart is skipping beats when I exit the bedroom, as I walk down the corridor, I could feel the walls caving in on me. I want to kick myself for allowing this to happen. I should have stayed here with Ruby. Ruby wouldn't have snapped if I was here!

I rush into the living room to approach Teddy. The poor girl is frighteningly pale, her eyes wide with terror, her lips quivering and her entire body is trembling. Her terror-stricken eyes are staring at the bite mark on her hand.

I know what is wrong, but I put that realization into the deepest parts of my mind.

Without thinking, I allow my emotions to control me and I throw my arms around her. I embrace as tightly as I could.

"TEDDY!" Is the only word I could muster out. I just cry my heart out.

Teddy's shaking arms embrace me back. Instantly we are both crying in unison.

I struggle to speak through my sobs. "What...what...happened?" I snivel.

Teddy clings to me like a lifeline. Her voice is riddled with shakiness. "Ruby….Ruby….she went outside after you left…...then a Clicker came…...I went out….to kill it….Ruby ran back inside…." She chokes out a small sob. "I….I...fought with it, my….gun jammed….then….Ruby...came back...and...stabbed me…."

I can only listen in speechless silence.

"I pushed her down...I had to fight it off of me..I...shot it…..Ruby went back inside….screaming…..I ran back….in….I...couldn't….save Lily...when Ruby stabbed her…...I fell...and I couldn't get up. Ruby...went after Parker Kate, Parker…..threw a pillow at her..she fought her.….and tried to run, but Ruby...jumped on her...she just punched and kicked her….then...she stabbed...her...over and over...Parker got up...and ran to her bedroom….but Ruby was still stabbing her and chasing her…" Teddy sniffles loudly.

"Ruby….was just smiling..she smiled for the whole thing. She….ran outside and didn't come back."

Teddy pulls away and shows me her trembling hand. "I….I….got bit….I got...bitten…" Teddy wheezes.

My mind goes completely blank, a powerful wave of numbness impacts me. Terror seeps into my psyche. I feel the world is spinning violently around me. Senselessly, denial fuels my mind. No! No! No! This is Teddy! This is my Teddy! Teddy can't die! Teddy isn't infected! All of this is a dream! None of this is real!

But I stare at the bite mark, the infection screams at me to make me believe. I had to force myself to accept that Teddy's lifespan has been limited. For a brief moment, I contemplate if, by sheer luck, Teddy could be immune. I heard of rumors of individuals who were immune to the infection. But those stories are rare and never verified.

When I look directly into Teddy's eyes, all I see is a frightened little girl.

"Faye….I...I'm..sorry…" Teddy mutters softly.

"You did a good job…..you...were...very brave.." I say, unable to control the tear flow.

"I….shouldn't...have yelled..at..you…" Teddy whispers.

I shake my head. I did not want Teddy to feel guilty during her last moments. "It's fine. You were right to be mad at me. I should have never lied to you." I say slowly.

Teddy's eyes are bloodshot. "What...happened...to..my...parents?"

Automatically I answer her. "They killed themselves...and...left..you a note...something happened...I don't know what happened...but your parents killed themselves…" Teddy shakes mournfully. She grows quiet, softly weeping to herself.

I plant one light kiss on her cheek. I lean in to put my lips close to her ear. "I love you, Ted. You are my best friend..when I met you….I was the happiest person in the world..." I whisper lovingly. Teddy pulls away from me and slumps in her seat. She manages to crack out one small smile to me. "I love you too, Faye." She whispers.

She wipes a tear away. "I don't want... to...turn...I don't want to be one of them…" She pleads sorrowfully.

I sniffle and nod. I know what she wants me to do. But I can't say if I can.

"P...Parker...Kate? Is she…" I answer her before she finishes.

"Minerva is caring for her….she's alive…" I croak.

"Ruby?" She stammers.

I turn my head to the front door, I wonder if Ruby is still standing outside. "I will handle her." My voice falters. I resolve that I must put Teddy out of her misery. I can't allow her to suffer.

"Ted," I say solemnly.

Teddy nods understandingly.

With a heavy heart, I grab Teddy's gun off of the kitchen counter. The gun seems to weight a ton in my shaking hand. I feel small at this moment, the weight of this situation is too much for me. I can't find the strength to aim the gun at her.

"Faye?" A bloody C-101 comes into my line of sight. He stands in front of me. C-101 turns his head at Teddy, then to me. Me and him exchange a wordless look to each other. He seems to know what is happening. He extends out his hand. "Give me the gun. I'll do it." C-101 offers. I am dumbfounded by this offer. I appreciate it, but I can't find the will to give him the gun.

C-101 doesn't argue with me, instead, he offers something else. "I know a good place. There's….a meadow...full of flowers...seems like a nice place to….do it.." He says. I force all of my suppressed will to emerge. I must be strong. I can't break now!

"Thank you." I croak weakly.

"RED! OKAY, YOU GO AND CHECK ON TEDDY AND FAYE!" I hear Minerva shout out. Within seconds, Red emerges out of the room and to us. Her clothes are splattered with blood.

"Red, Teddy's bitten," C-101 reveals to her.

Red blinks her eyes in shock. Her eyes flick to the gun, she understands the situation.

C-101 heads to the door, I extend out my free hand to Teddy. Her warm hand clings to my hand.

When we exit outside, Ruby is nowhere to be seen. I feel concern for a brief moment, but I dismiss it quickly.

I hope for Lincoln's arrival, he's been hunting in the forest for a long time. I ponder on how he will react to this senseless bloodshed.

Red, me, and Teddy all follow C-101 to the destination, we all walk slowly and silently.

The meadow is beautiful to look at. It is covered with a light sheet of snow, a gleaning frozen pond is in the center. Birds sing in the frosty trees. The skies are baby blue with small patches of clouds.

Teddy sniffles, fully accepting her fate. "Okay." She croaks out.

Me, Red, and C-101 all whirl around to her.

C-101 crosses his arms and lowers his eyes to the ground. Me and Red engages Teddy into a group embrace. Teddy sniffles softly and embraces us back.

Teddy pulls away, crying her little heart out. I want Teddy to die looking at something peaceful. "Teddy, look," I point to the beautiful landscape. "Okay." Teddy obeys me, trotting in front of me. Sobbing, she looks ahead. With a trembling hand, I force myself to lift the heavy gun. "Just keep looking…" I tell her.

I aim the gun at the back of her head.

Without my permission, my mind flashes memories of our happy moments. I remember the day I met her, I remember the day I cut her hair, I remember the days I protected her, all of those memories were profound and overwhelming.

"Goodbye."

I feel my soul leaving my body when I pull the trigger. Time seems to slow down, as Teddy falls to the ground dead.

Instantly, I wish for death myself. My eyes flick to the gun for a second and I have daring thoughts, but I am too scared to act.

I fall to my knees, the gun drops out of my hand. I feel Red's fingers on my shoulders. Without thought, I look up at her to see her giving me a rare smile.

Red retracts her claws and walks ahead of me. She digs her claws into the moist Earth, tossing up dirt.

C-101 joins her and helps Red's creation of a grave.

Everything feels surreal at this moment. I couldn't believe this is happening.

It takes several minutes for them to completely make a shallow grave. I force my wobbly legs to stand up, I take the obligation to bury her. When I scoop her up in my arms, she is light as a leaf. The back of her head produces a stream of blood. Her bright green eyes stare me in the eyes permanently. I plant a kiss on her cold forehead mournfully. I take her to the shallow grave and I slowly place her in. I position her on her back, I toss the gun beside her, I want her to keep her belongings, even in death.

C-101 and Red are kind enough to not let me cover her with dirt. They do it themselves, swiftly and diligently. It doesn't take long for Teddy to be covered up completely, leaving only a small heap of a grave. We all just stand by the grave, staring in silence.

Tears rush down my cheeks uncontrollably. I feel my entire world crumbling. So much pressure pent up inside of me. All sensations within me are numbed.

I catch C-101 giving me a glance. He turns his head away from me with red cheeks and breaks the silence.

"Teddy, I didn't like you or Daphne at first. I was a jackass to you two. But in truth, I did like having you and Daphne around. You were a nice person that was always smiling no matter what. You brighten up everyone's day, but most importantly," He looks me in the eyes profoundly. "You made Faye happy."

I give C-101 a tearful smile.

"Faye loved you. I admired that. I admired how determined she was about you. Me and her were at each other's throats. No matter how many times I cursed her out and everything, she fought for you to the bitter end.

"I hope wherever you are, you're happy. I hope your parents are with you and I hope you're with Daphne now." He says sincerely.

C-101 keeps going. "I'm going miss you, Ted. You were a great kid. A real ray of sunshine in this world. Goodbye." He finishes slowly.

Red says nothing, instead, she grabs an icy flower yellow as the sun. I see tears flowing down her red cheeks. She places the flower around the grave, before I know it, she collects multiple flowers from the snowy ground.

I watch her in silence as she decorates the grave with the beautiful flowers. When she is done, Red scurries over to me, and without warning, embraces me.

Her arms are warm, she strokes my hair gently as she hugs me. This unexpected hug makes me rigid for a short moment. I embrace her back tearfully. I feel Red holding my hand tightly, giving me a supportive squeeze.

Then I feel another set of warm arms wrap around me.

When I look into the eyes of C-101, I smile.

All of us engages in a group embrace, all of us smiling with mournful tears flowing down our cheeks. None of us utters a word, everything has already been said.

We break the embrace moments later, we take one more long look at Teddy's grave, and then we head back into the forest.

 _ **Next chapter will come soon. The group will deal with a demented Ruby. Leave reviews and thoughts. I am currently working and updating on my other stories. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.**_


	47. Broken

Our walk back to the RV is slow and long. My body suffers from tremendous turmoil. My legs are heavy as stone, my heart keeps thundering in my chest and my anxiety escalates. My eyes find the ground as we walk. All I think about is Teddy. I feel a hole forming in my heart, every passing second it grows. All of my efforts, all of my protection for her innocence, all of my dreams for Teddy is gone in an instant. Daphne, the sweet little girl that I looked over because of my favoritism. I failed her as well. I failed both of them. I betrayed Teddy and her at the same time. Now they are both dead.

Red is alert, scanning the area for infected as we trot through the forest. C-101 is in front of us, acting as our guide back to the RV.

"What the fuck?" C-101 gasps. "Lincoln?" The shock in his voice makes my head pop up. When I hear Lincoln's name, all I could think of is Parker Kate and the madness in the RV. I anticipated his rage when he finds out about Ruby.

I am too numb to react to the blonde haired girl and Lincoln sitting on the white horse five feet away from us. Everything feels surreal at this moment. A raven-haired girl approached them from behind on her dark horse. "What the hell are you doing?" She rebukes the blonde haired girl. I'm just too numb to all of this. I am sick of meeting new people. As if on cue, another girl with bright violet eyes arrives on her gray horse. When she sees our faces, her cheeks become red. She is a petite girl with dark brown hair tied into a neat braid. Her violet eyes glisten with shyness. She looked to be my age.

Lincoln is perched on the horse, armed with his archery gear. On the back of the white horse is a deceased deer. The horse contently crunches on patches of grass moistened from the melting snow.

The blonde girl's eyes shimmer when she sees us. Her eyes are sparkling green and strangely protruding.

She flashes us a friendly smile to us. "Hello." the blonde haired girl greets. The second she speaks, I find her bizarre. Her voice is gentle and light as the air. There is no firmness or hardness of any kind. It is difficult for me to believe she is a survivor. She hauntingly reminds me of Nina. Her straggly hair is white blonde, tied into an unkempt braid. She has rosy pale skin with a heart-shaped face and a long nose. I examine her from head to toe. The one thing that makes her stand out is her outfit. A dark uniform that consists of a long, cuffed sleeve shirt and a flowy black skirt. She covers her outfit with a bright yellow sweater. Her crimson red tights match her odd hat on her head.

The girl hops off of her horse with a bright smile. Her golden brown leather boots crunch on the patches of snow. She sauntered over to us, extending out a friendly hand. "My name is Luna," She gestures to the raven-haired girl. "This is Heather," Then she gestures to the violet-eyed girl. "This is Violet." Luna smiles at us warmly. "What's your names?" C-101 is the only one who shakes her hand. He appears nervous, evident to the beads of sweat dripping down his forehead. Luna didn't make it better when she gives him a dimpled smile.

"Um….." C-101 seemingly loses his ability to speak.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Luna chirps. With that, she releases his hand, C-101's hand drops to his side.

"Luna! We have no time for this!" The raven-haired girl had a scathing voice. She has wavy dark hair tied into a glossy ponytail with defined features on her oval shaped face. Her eyes are silver and sharp. The girl wears a golden brown leather jacket with thick boots.

The violet-eyed girl stares at our bloody appearances in concern. "Are you alright?" She whispers. Her cheeks redden when we don't answer.

Lincoln looks on at us with an annoyed expression. "Why are you guys out here? I thought you went back to the RV?" His eyes scanned us from head to toe. Unknowingly seeing all of Parker Kate's dried blood on our clothes.

"Did you get attacked by infected?" He inquires.

I feel my tongue dry instantly. I shake my head and bite my lower lip.

Lincoln then introduces us to the strange girl. "Luna, this is Faye, Red, and Xander. They're traveling with us."

Luna smiles. "Oh, that's nice." She comments lightly.

A reddening C-101 eyes Luna as he speaks to Lincoln. "Um...who is she exactly?" He becomes less redness when he looks at the two other girls.

"Back at the Zone, Minerva and Lily went to this girl only school. Luna was good friends with Minerva." He gestures to her. Then he turns to the sheepish girl. 'This is Violet." He says bluntly. Violet bites her lower lip and evades eye contact.

Luna examines us curiously. "Did something happen? You look sick." Luna eyes me. I feel like she can see right through me.

I choose not to answer. I have no interest in meeting anyone new.

Luna doesn't seem fazed by my silence and smiles brightly at me. Heather scoffs in annoyance. "We need to leave, Luna! We don't need to help these people." There is underlying disgust in her voice. Violet's lips quivered. "Um...um...Heather, maybe...maybe we could help…we have...a medical center back...at...um.. ." Her quiet voice falters.

Heather's face contorts with anger. "No, Violet, shut it!" She snaps. Heather looks like she is ready to slap her.

Violet hangs her head in shame. "Um...sorry...I'll go...back…" She mutters.

"Hey calm down, Alpha bitch!" C-101 snaps fiercely.

Heather is adamant, she shoots C-101 a icy glare. "Shut it, snakeskin!" She snarls. "We are not helping these assholes!" She turns her head to a blushing Violet. "Right, Vi?"

When Violet meets her domineering gaze, she nods accordingly. "Um….um….yes."

Luna is adamant. "Heather, please," She looks directly into Heather's silver eyes. "I'm just going to help him carry the food back to his camping grounds and I'll be back, I promise."

Heather rolls her eyes. "You want to get eaten by infecteds because you want to help a bunch of losers, fine!" She snaps bitterly.

C-101 gives Heather a blistering glare, his expression drastically softens when he meets eyes with Luna. "You can come! No problem!" His voice is nervous.

Heather rolls her eyes impetuously, screwing up her face in disgust at C-101. "Fine! Mess around and get yourself killed over these freaks!" Heather hiss. She beckons to Violet. "Come on, Violet!" She orders sharply. "Um...um...coming!" Violet falters, blushing profusely. With that, Heather turns her horse around and gallops away from us. Violet follows close behind. Luna flashes him a broad smile that causes C-101 to bite his lower lip. "Thank you, Xander." She chirps. C-101 breaks out into an odd smile and nods without saying a word.

I take a step closer to Lincoln. "Lincoln, something….happened." My voice is small.

Lincoln arches an eyebrow. "What?" He inquires.

I open my mouth to reveal all of the horrors awaiting us, but only air comes out. Lincoln looks at me as if I had three heads.

I turn my head to C-101 to silently encourage him to tell Lincoln the truth, but he shows no hint of doing so.

Lincoln shrugs his shoulders. "Um...yeah." He says lightly.

Walking back to the RV was the hardest thing I experienced in my life. A forlorn cloud hangs above me as I trot back to the horrific scene. I use all of my willpower to suppress Teddy's death. If I keep thinking about her, I will go insane.

There is no positivity in my mind to protect me from despair. All I could envision is the blood. An insane Ruby. A distraught Minerva. A deceased Lily. An innocent Parker Kate suffering excruciating stabbing wounds.

I think of Ruby and all I feel is horror. She snapped. She murdered Lily in an insane episode. What could I have done? I should have been there. I should have watched her. Ruby narrowly killed Parker Kate. All I could think of is Lincoln's reaction. I know he will be livid. I begin to wish that Lincoln returned with us.

When I see the RV, my stomach churns and I am on the verge of vomiting. We trot closer to the RV, Lincoln stops in his tracks when he sees the blood on the walls of the RV. "What the fuck?" He mumbles.

Lincoln doesn't wait, he rushes inside of the RV. Luna appears alarmed, almost instantly she pulls out a hunting knife and hopping off her horse. "Lincoln!" She whispers Luna walks purposely slow inside of the RV. I hear a terrified gasp escape her throat.

Me, Red, and C-101 hurry into the RV after her. My nostrils are impacted by the stench of iron. By now, the blood is completely dry, a pungent smell mixed with a tinge of sickening sweetness floods the air. I gag in disgust as bile rises to my throat. Lily's corpse is a terrifying sight to see, lifelessly lying on the couch.

"WHERE IS SHE?" I hear the enraged voice of Lincoln inside of Parker Kate's room. Minerva's voice is soft but shrill. "NO! NO, LINCOLN! CALM DOWN!"

But Lincoln is not having it, his thundering feet storms into the hallway, his voice grows savage. "WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU, RUBY?" I catch a glimpse of Lincoln rigid with rage, his bow and arrow prepared and ready to kill.

Minerva leaps out of the bedroom and proceeds to close the door behind her. She is adamant on placating Lincoln. "Lincoln, calm down. Take a deep breath and THINK!" She advises.

"WHERE IS SHE, MINERVA?" Lincoln snarls. Minerva refuses to tell him. Lincoln doesn't care for Minerva's emotional pleas and charges to Ruby's bedroom. The door is evidently closed and Lincoln violently and furiously batters the locked door. "COME OUT! NOW!" His voice menacing and belligerent roars at the top of his lungs. "GET OUT NOW!" Ruby exposes her location by shrieking at the top of her lungs.

"LEAVE ME ALONE! NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Lincoln only becomes enraged upon hearing her voice. His fists hammer on the door with all of the force he could muster. "YOU STABBED PARKER!" He roars.

I feel an urge inside of me telling me to help Ruby. To protect her from the livid Lincoln. But all I can think of is her killing half of the team.

I find myself standing motionless, my mind swims. I feel like I am dreaming, I can't even focus on reality. I ignore my surroundings, I feel myself zoning in and out. My mind flusters with countless thoughts. I find myself questioning every aspect of my life. Why am I here? Is Laura still alive? Should I still keep trying to find her? Is there a point anymore? Why should I go to a Quarantine Zone? Can I? Is there a point of living on anymore without a purpose? Will this new group last? Could I have saved Ruby's mental state? Did I do something wrong? Did I cause this? If I was there with Ruby, would she have snapped? What kind of guardian am I? What am I going to do now?

Minerva's high pitched voice pierces my eardrums, she does her best to placate Lincoln. She defends Ruby passionately. "No! NO! You can't just kill her! Calm down! Parker is alive! Parker is alive! Just stop!" Minerva finally acknowledges everyone else. "Help! Help me!" She urges us. Red and Luna are the only ones that hurry over to the two. Red grabs his bow, jerking it down. Lincoln is furiously twisting and lashing out, completely losing his composure. Luna, despite everything, remains calm. "Calm down. Calm down." She keeps her distance, speaking in a serene voice. Minerva and Red both do their best to restrain Lincoln, the two girls begin to tug Lincoln away from the door.

Minerva finally says the right words. "Think about Parker. I'll deal with Ruby. She needs you right now. Calm down." That mollifies Lincoln's rage, he takes uneven breaths to calm his nerves. "Okay….okay…." He mutters lowly.

Minerva exhales deeply in relief once Lincoln slips into Parker Kate's bedroom. Luna smiles warmly at her. "I can help out as much as I can."

Emotionally, Minerva breaks down into tears. With a soft sob, she throws her arms around Luna. "Thank God, you're here!" She gasps.

Luna hugs her without saying a word. When they pull away, Luna remains composed. "I can get some medicine from Mr. Collins. He's right next to Hilton."

Minerva sniffles softly. "What? Where's that?"

"Settlements. There's alot of them. I've been traveling to all of them." Luna explains. "I know Parker can't move, so I can bring some medical supplies. From either Collins or Hilton. Both are close."

Minerva puts an emotional hand over her mouth.

"That's great!" C-101's voice becomes high pitched for a moment.

"What about the horses?" Minerva snivels.

"Well we borrow these horses for when we come here. I have to give her right back to a Mr. Collins. Remember him?"

A glint flashes in Minerva's watery eyes. "He's alive?" She gasps wistfully.

"Yep. Very much alive." Luna reassures her.

"I can trade some resources to Mr. Collins for medicine." Luna smiles.

I snap back into reality and I finally acknowledge Luna's presence. My voice loses all emotions. "What resources?"

"Batteries. Bullets. Food. Water. Anything that can be traded and is worth of value. He lends horses and other resources back. He's a great help." Luna explains.

Minerva embraces her warmly. "Thank you! Thank God! I thought you died!" She weeps.

Luna pulls away with a serene smile. "I'm so happy to see you guys too!" Then she promptly adds. "Well me and my friends will be leaving for the Valor County a month. Right now, we're staying in Hilton. It's a long trip, Mr. Collins is not far from here. So I need to go now." With that, Luna gives Minerva a quick hug. Luna then begins to depart, C-101 stands by the doorway and extends his hand to her with a crooked smile. "Um...thanks…." C-101 falters. Luna smiles broadly and promptly shake his hand. "No problem. Do you need anything?"

C-101 attempts to speak, but his words are incoherent stutters. "I...I..um….I….I…."

Luna giggles sweetly. "I will bring you back something." She says. Then she leaves. Promptly Minerva slips into Parker Kate's room.

I feel C-101 giving me a nudge as I zone out once more. Numbness fills me to the brim. C-101 is his own old self again. "Faye, Minerva wants you to get that crazy bitch out of the room," C-101 informs me. "We have to do something about her." C-101 urges.

"Like what?" My voice lacks emotions.

C-101 narrows his eyes. "Execution." He suggests firmly. "An eye for an eye." Even within my void of numbness, I can't remove the care I harbor for Ruby. I am at a standstill. I care for the child at a certain degree, but I can't deny that she is a threat. She is a threat to herself and others. Killing her seems cruel, inhuman, but is it necessary? If I kill her, that would keep the group safe. She is technically not a danger to me, C-101, and Red unless she aim for vital organs.

If she attacks Red or C-101, they will kill her in self defense.

I form an idea in my mind.

"No." I say flatly. "I think I should just….leave."

C-101 scowls and shakes his head. "Leave? No!" He objects.

I continue. "I take Ruby and we just leave."

C-101 remains stubborn. "No," He glares at me directly in the eyes. "You won't get far. Ruby will go nuts. She will kill you! She will injure you and get you killed. Or hell, herself killed."

My heart sinks to my feet as C-101's words pierce into my skin.

I did not know what to say. C-101's words are true, even though I despise them. Ruby and me alone in the forest, traveling on foot, surrounded by animalistic infected. If the infected doesn't kill us, Ruby will.

She can't stay here, she can't stay with this group. Parker Kate barely survived from all of the stab wounds Ruby inflicted onto her. Lily is dead. Minerva is broken. Lincoln is enraged. Teddy is dead.

There is no other place to take Ruby.

I sit down on the sofa. The sofa that Teddy once sat. I contemplate all the options.

C-101 grows impatient. "For fuck sake, Faye, drop this Mommy bullshit!" He snarls. "You go out there with that psycho bitch, you die! You need to take care of this problem now! Stop being an idiot!"

I look up at C-101, a pang of hurt hits me. It hurts me in a way that I never thought C-101 could.

When tears escape my eyes, C-101 lost his harshness. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But you got to think!"

I wipe my tears away. "I am."

C-101 crosses his arms. "I get it. With Teddy, Daphne. But something needs to happen. If you can't kill her, what about leaving her? Just going after Luna and leaving her here in the RV."

"No. I understand. I know what I have to do." I stand up and I hold out my hand. "Give me the gun."

Unexpectedly, Minerva rushes into the room. I could tell from her livid face she heard our conservation.

"No! You can't just execute her. She is a kid!" Minerva rebukes.

C-101 rolls his eyes. "It's everyone else or her! That bitch wiped out half of the group!" C-101 argues harshly.

Minerva is stubborn. "Ruby is a little girl. She is messed up, I know she is, but this is murder! Killing her is murder."

I keep composed. My mind is resolved. "Minerva, Ruby killed Lily. She got Teddy killed."

Minerva vehemently defends her. "NO! Ruby is eleven! She didn't know better!"

C-101 rolls his eyes. "She's not a newborn, she knows right from wrong. She is dangerous! You know she is."

"We should give her another chance. Execution is not justice! She just needs help! That's all she needs."

"Minerva," I take a steady step towards her. "Something must be done," I say bluntly. I could tell Minerva is forcing herself not to accept this. "No, maybe if we simply talk to her." Before anyone could object, Minerva rushes to Ruby's room. Her voice is gentle and kind. "Ruby, please. Come out. We want to talk to you."

"About what?" Ruby's voice is lighthearted. No hint of remorse in her childish voice.

Minerva appears disturbed by this answer, but remain soft-spoken. "About what you did today. Please come out." With that, Ruby opens the door. When I finally see her, I am a mixture of emotions.

Minerva orders Ruby to sit down on the sofa. Placing a kind hand on her shoulder as she leads her into the living room. Ruby sits down obediently with a content smile. She is caked in dried blood, her hair is disheveled, and her clothes are drenched.

"What are we going to talk about?" Ruby ask casually.

Minerva bites her lower lip in nervousness. She glances at me as if I am supposed to say something. When I say nothing, Minerva haltingly begins to probe Ruby. "Why did you stab Lily and Parker?" Minerva's voice shakes.

It is silent in the room. Me, Red, and C-101 all stand in the room, stiff as statutes.

"I listened to them." Ruby answers lightly.

Minerva shudders in discomfort. "Um….who?"

"The Infected." Ruby replies as if it was common knowledge. "I heard them and they told me. Now we're friends with them." Ruby smiles brightly. "Don't you get it, Minnie? The Infected are different, they're misunderstood. It's us that are the monsters."

I stare directly at Ruby speechless. I want to speak, but my tongue is dry as sandpaper.

Minerva shakes her head urgently. "No! Ruby, you are not hearing things. The Infected can't talk, they can't think. Their minds are messed up, all they want to do is eat you. That's why you must stay away from them."

Ruby looks at me accusingly. "Faye told me you had to kill them."

"Sometimes you do." Minerva points out.

Ruby shakes her head stubbornly. "Never. It's wrong. It will always be wrong! I saw Teddy hurting that Clicker! I had to stop her! It told me to help it, so I did."

Minerva takes in a deep breath to calm her frazzled nerves. I could tell she is completely uncomfortable. But she still manages to remain poised. "Why did you stab Parker?" She inquire.

"They all told me to. They told me if I did, I would be their friend. We would all be best friends. Once I'm done, I can run away with them and we would go to their home and live peacefully." Ruby explains dementedly.

Minerva shudders once more. "Home?"

Ruby casually shrugs her shoulders. "Like a mansion or a cabin. They all had homes before they changed. They said they would change me if I did it. I had to earn their trust by killing."

"Ruby," Minerva speaks purposely slowly. "Parker Kate is…" Ruby interrupts her.

"She's dead." Ruby answers.

"No." Ruby's eyes lights up with shock.

"She didn't die?" Ruby questions skeptically.

Minerva shakes her head. "No. She barely survived. She is healing right now. She was really, really hurt."

"But how?" Ruby's mouth drops open.

C-101 loses patience. "For fuck sake, you are a psycho bitch! You nearly killed that girl because of your retarded delusion!" He snaps.

Ruby rolls her eyes as if C-101 was stupid. "It's not a delusion. I know what I heard!" She protests.

Minerva makes sure to stop the bickering before it escalates. "Xander, please stop!" She placates.

Minerva doesn't wait, she swiftly resumes her questioning. "Ruby, Parker is hurt." She insists.

Ruby's expression becomes unmoving. "How did she live?"

"Luck." Minerva replies precisely. Ruby nods her head acceptingly.

"What exactly did you think was going to happen?"

Ruby nods accordingly. "I was promised that I would live with the Infected if I listened to them. They said we were all friends if I listen."

"They told you to stab Teddy, Lily, and Parker?"

Ruby nods silently.

Minerva exhales heavily. "Lily was helpless. She couldn't fight back." She croaks wistfully.

"No. She kicked and screamed." Ruby corrects nonchalantly. A wave of disturbed silence falls upon the area upon her saying that.

I feel my stomach twist and turn violently.

Minerva gulps loudly, swallowing down approaching vomit.

"How long is Lincoln going to be mad at me?" Ruby asks.

"Until you're dead." C-101 snarks. Minerva shoots C-101 a livid look. "Shut up!" Her voice sharp with irritation. C-101 simply rolls his eyes at her.

"Faye?" Ruby calls out to me. She smiles at me, but I can't find the strength to smile back at her. My facial expression is flat and lifeless.

Ruby scans me from head to toe. Her eyes tear up. "Are you mad at me?"

I can't find the willpower to speak, I simply shake my head.

"Ruby, how do you feel?" Minerva inquire.

Ruby sniffles, she manages to fight the tears. "About what?"

Minerva's voice becomes breathless. "The stabbing…"

Ruby nonchalantly shrugs her shoulders. "Fine." She say softly. This is too much for Minerva to handle. Unconsolable tears rush down her cheeks, her skin reddens, she slams a hand over her mouth. With emanating sobs from her throat, Minerva springs to her feet and hurries out from the living room. Her footsteps thunder throughout the RV, she slams her bedroom door with all of her strength.

"Minnie?" Ruby whispers confused. The child turns her head to me with a pained expression. "She hates me now! I knew it!" She complains.

I know at this point, there is no going back. There is no more reasoning. This is how it must be.

I smile at her, my voice soft and gentle. "I want to go hunting. Wanna come?" I ask.

Ruby nods eagerly. "Sure!" I take her little hand.

I do not allow coldness or harshness to seep into my voice. I want Ruby's last moments to be peaceful. Minerva's cries echoes throughout the RV.

"Is she going to be okay?" Ruby ask me.

"Fine." I lie.

C-101 gives me a solemn nod and Red gives me a grave look when we pass them.

As we walk slowly out of the RV, we pass by the deceased Clicker. Ruby stops in her tracks to mourn for it. I do not allow her. "No!" I say, pulling Ruby forward.

Ruby appears hurt, but the hurt is seemingly short lived. Ruby walks alongside me with a smile. She looks at the white scenery with a glint in her big eyes.

"This is beautiful. Really cold though." Ruby comments.

"Yep." I agree halfheartedly. It is difficult to maintain a peaceful demeanor. I feel like needles are piercing inside of my heart. I think of Teddy, I think of all of my failures.

Ruby seems to see my conflict that is displayed on my face. "Are you okay?" She asks me. I say nothing, her face instantly becomes sorrowful. "Faye, are you mad at me?" Ruby whispers.

"No.." I say.

Ruby doesn't believe me. "You are! Why are you mad at me?"

I place a warm hand on her shaking shoulder. "I am not mad." I insist. Ruby isn't convinced. She begins to cry.

I embrace her to console her. "Let's just keep walking," I tell her. Tearfully the child obeys me, she snivels as she walks.

"You're mad at me, just like Lincoln. Lincoln hates me just like you!" She weeps.

"Just keep going, Ruby." I insist.

Livid, the girl glares at me. "You hate me!" She shrieks. Ruby turns away from me and begins to walk ahead of me.

That's when I pull out my gun. I feel so many emotions rushing through me. I feel sorrow for this girl, her demented mind is no fault of her own, but it is a threat to all. I feel guilty for all of the failures I continuously keep making. I feel anger at Ruby for causing the death of Teddy and I am angry at myself for allowing it to happen. All of this is caused by me. I think of C-101's harsh words. All of the times he mocked and ridiculed me for harboring maternal feelings for abandoned little ones. Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if I listened to C-101. Things would be different. All of this is my fault. I decide at this point to detach myself. C-101, Red, Minerva, Parker Kate, and Lincoln are the only ones I allow in my inner circle. I have already formed bonds with them that can't be dismissed. But I will never try to attach myself to another child. I resolve myself to suppress all emotions, all maternal feelings will be quelled.

I allow tears to flow down my cheek as I aim the gun.

I say nothing when I shoot Ruby in the back of the head dead. I watch Ruby's body dropping to the ground with a sickening thud. My heart breaks and I fall to my knees. Uncontrollable tears rush down my face. I have now lost another one.

I do my best to compose myself. Breathe...breathe…

When I finally manage to stabilize my emotional state, I begin to dig a shallow grave with my hands. It takes me a complete 30 minutes to dig up a grave. I pick up her light body and I gently placed her into the grave. "I'm sorry," I whisper into her ear. I did my best to position her comfortably.

I proceed to bury the child. I can't help the waves of sorrow rushing through me as I do. Once I am finished, I do not say a word. There is nothing to say. I simply turn around and I head back to the RV in a haste. When I arrive, I make a beeline for Parker Kate's bedroom. Lincoln sit on the edge of the bed as Parker Kate lies in bed. She is a pitiful sight to witness. Her eyes are framed with terror, I could tell from her terrified state that she believes she is about to die. She doesn't dare move an inch.

"How is she?" I ask Lincoln.

Lincoln doesn't answer me, his eyes fixated on his sister. I have to walk over to him and nudge him his shoulder to seize his attention.

"How is she?" I repeat.

Lincoln continues to look at his sister, Parker Kate's eyes are glued to the ceiling. "Where's Ruby?" He demands.

"I took care of her," I say bluntly.

Lincoln turns his head to me and nods. "Thank you."

 _ **In the next chapter, all of the incidents and losses around Faye will finally get to her. The group will leave the RV to go find the Settlements to get closer to Felix.**_

 _ **I am currently working on my other stories. Mercy** **,**_ Aishi _ **,** **Avenging, One of Us, Laura, and etc.**_


	48. The Four Settlements

Five days later, I open the door to Luna. She arrives at the RV with a thick green backpack with no horse in sight.

"I got a flashlight and some bullets for you." She pulls out the items with a broad smile. Luna hands C-101 a long, black flashlight, then she turns to me and gives me a package of bullets. C-101, blushing profusely, flashes Luna a crooked smile. "Th...thank." His words fumbles. Luna then pulls out a bottle of penicillin and places it on the kitchen counter.

"You're welcome." Luna chirps. She then looks at me. "How is Parker Kate? I have some gifts for her." I turn my head towards Parker Kate's bedroom. Parker Kate has been progressively healing, she has been bedridden, unable to walk, barely able to speak. Nevertheless, Parker Kate, against all odds was making a speedy recovery. Lincoln has taken the obligation to carry her whenever she needs to. Never leaving her side and always sleeping on the floor next to her bed. Minerva has been impressively diligent on caring for Parker Kate's wounds.

"She's healing," I tell. I then lead Luna to Parker Kate's bedroom with Red and C-101 behind me. The door is wide open, I see Parker Kate lying idly in bed, her eyes looking at nothing. Lincoln resides on the floor next to her bed. He lies down on a thick blanket with one small pillow. Minerva is on the other side, sitting in a chair from the kitchen."Luna?" Parker Kate croaks, her voice is a mere whisper. Lincoln promptly sits up.

Luna smiles brightly. "Hi, Parker! How are you?" Her voice is flooded with enthusiasm. "I was traveling around and I managed to get some gifts for you!" Luna places the backpack on the edge of the bed.

"I managed to get your favorite!" With that, Luna pulls out a plastic bag containing small items that I never have seen before.

"Brownies." Luna chirps.

"Thank you." Parker Kate forces out. Luna gives the brownie bag to Lincoln.

Luna continues to smile. "I got more than that." With that, she pulls out a teddy bear, several thick books, a sketchbook, and a pearl necklace.

"Thank you, Luna! You're the best!" Minerva praises.

"Where did you get all of this?" Lincoln asks bluntly.

"I got those brownies from Hilton. I have a friend there named Neville. His family owns a bakery. I ended finding everything else when I was walking through the empty cities and towns around here. In one of them, they had a mall there full of books and objects from the Old Days." Luna explains.

Luna picks up the pearl necklace with a smile. "Before I came here, there is a town nearby where they had a jewelry store. It was completely ransacked and very little items were in it. Expect this." Luna holds out the necklace to Parker Kate. "When I saw it, I thought you would like it." She says softly.

Parker Kate manages to crack out a small smile but is unable to utter a word.

Luna then picks up a thick book. It is a strange book with a mountain with carved faces on it. A massive smile of interest grows on her face. Lincoln looks at her with a slightly annoyed expression. "Found another history book?" He asks.

Luna nods swiftly. "Yep, when I was in town, I found this library full of books! You really need to read these. It is so educational. I learned so much from this." She expresses with fondness.

Parker Kate struggles to speak. "Like...what?" She squeaks. Lincoln places a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Parker, don't talk." He orders her. Parker Kate looks him in the eyes and quietens. Luna promptly pulls out a small journal and a pen. "Can you write?" She inquires.

Lincoln is having none of it. "She's not moving until she completely heals up. Thank you, but Parker is fine." His tone is well meaning, but it has an underlying harshness attached to it. Luna is unfazed and puts the items back into her backpack.

Luna is eager to release all of the knowledge she learned from these books. "Well before the outbreak happened, we lived in 50 states with a federal government, a President, and three branches of government. In South Dakota, there is a mountain that has three Presidents in it."

Parker Kate expresses her inquisitiveness by smiling widely, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

Luna affectionately taps a finger onto Parker Kate's nose. "When you heal up, I'm going to take you on my next trip. I am planning to go to Yellowstone! There are so many landmarks you have to see!" Luna's eyes light up with excitement when another idea pops into her mind. "Better yet, my wolf has puppies and there is at least six of them. You could have one of them when you feel better. There's a one that I believe you will just love. A pup that is white is snow, she is gentle as a bunny and easy to train." Parker Kate's spirits begin to lift.

Minerva appears concerned. "A wolf?" She gasps.

Luna nods her head eagerly. "Yep, Grace is an angel. She had pups months ago, her kids are so cute and hyper!"

Lincoln shakes his head. "Parker doesn't need a wolf as a pet. That's a wild animal." Parker Kate frowns in dismay.

Luna shrugs her shoulders casually. "Okay, Mr. Collins got a cute pony that is perfect for Parker. She is extremely nice and is very gentle. I spoke to Mr. Collins about all of you and he is willing to give you horses for transportation."

"We will see," Lincoln says dubiously. Luna grabs the sketchbook. "Oh, I want to show you the drawings of my trips!" With that, Luna sits on the bed and scoots closer to Parker Kate, she opens the sketchbook so everyone could see it.

When I see her drawings, I am amazed. There are no colors, just pencil sketches. But it still appears lifelike and detailed.

She shows us an impressive sketch of a beautiful landscape. A lush meadow with mountains in the background.

"This is my first time when I saw an eagle!" Luna gushes. Parker Kate is completely engrossed in this. The sketch shows a large bird perched on a tree branch. "I was climbing this tree to get a good look of the mountains when this eagle just landed on a branch next to me!"

"These sketches are amazing!" C-101 compliments.

Luna smiles broadly. "Thanks." With that, she continues to showcase her sketches.

"This one is when I managed to find a hot spring." Luna points a finger to the aesthetic sketch.

I catch glimpses of Parker Kate's eyes fluttering tiredly. Lincoln sees this and an urgent glint flashes in his eyes. "Luna," He excuses her in the middle of her showcasing another sketch. "Parker Kate needs to rest."

Parker Kate looks up at her brother in disappointment.

Luna isn't offended. "Kay." She chirps. She places all of her gifts to Parker Kate on the nearby dresser. "Sweet dreams, Parker," Luna tells her as she departs the room. Parker Kate flashes Luna a grateful smile once Luna leaves.

The rest of us, expect Minerva and Lincoln, exit the room.

"So...um...Luna, what's the next place you're going to?" C-101 croaks out. I notice C-101's abrupt demeanor. He is bumbling and red-faced.

"I am planning on returning to Hilton. I'm going to meet up with my friends. I'm helping out a friend of mine with her wedding." Luna explains.

I begin to develop an interest in Hilton. I am still driven on going to the Quarantine Zone to find Felix, I did not care for Laura anymore. Personally fuck her, she should have never run off in the first place! But the idea of settling in a settlement sounds appealing. At this point, I have been hopping from place to place. An idyllic place to settle and rest seems perfect. I think of Parker Kate, the poor thing has been through so much. A place like Hilton could be a great place for her to be safe and flourish. This RV is tainted. Lily's corpse has been long buried, but all of the horrors within this RV still remains. I want to be far away from here. Away from all of these dreadful memories. I'm not going to lie, after Teddy and Daphne, it is a confirmed fact that I can't protect little ones anymore.

"Um...thanks….for coming back. It's nice to see you again." C-101 mutters.

Luna takes a step closer to C-101 with a warm smile. "It's nice to see you as well, Xander." Hilton is plastered in my mind. Any of the Settlements will be tolerable for me.

"Where is Hilton?" I inquire. Luna looks up at me. "It is quite far. It's the biggest county out of the four. It takes two days to get there if you follow the right path."

I want to know all about the Settlements. "Do you know anything about them? All of them?"

Luna nods. She sits down on the sofa, smiling contently. "Well, there's Hilton, Wellington, Washington, and Valor. Most of them are idyllic places to live."

I raise up an eyebrow when I hear the word, "most." "Most?" I probe.

"Wellington is the one I generally stay away from." Luna admit scatchingly. "It's not exactly my type of place to live or travel to."

"Why?" I ask.

Luna has a thoughtful look on her face. Her smiling lips turns thin. "Well, Wellington is known for being problematic. At least in the recent years. I use to travel to Wellington all the time. I did a few jobs there to make a quick buck."

"How is Wellington problematic?" I inquire.

"Well, Wellington is pretty industrial. They're very inventive to say the least. They use coal and such to give them energy. Problem with that is that it hurts the environment around them. The other three counties has a rocky relationship with Wellington and Wellington's behavior doesn't help matter."

C-101's voice fumbles. "So um...what happened?"

Luna shrugs her shoulders. "I am not sure. There are so many different stories about Wellington. But there's been rumors of Wellington wanting to go to war with all of the counties."

My eyes widens with shock. "Over what?"

"Trade, trade is the most important thing between the counties. Washington often trades fish and medical supplies. Valor trades medical supplies and food. Hilton is the biggest trader of food products and fabric. Wellington often traded things like batteries, metal, security, and food,"

"Security?" I blurt out.

Luna nods. "Lots of it. Electrified fences, a massive wall that closes off the county from the forest, gates, vicious guard dogs, you name it. The last time I visited there, I took a job training the guard dogs there. If anyone attempts to sneak in, those guard dogs will either sniff them out or just kill them. Wellington has the largest amount of weapons and the largest amount of soldiers. They are just like a Quarantine Zone."

"Wow." I express. "How do they trade security?"

"They send weapons and soldiers to other counties. Usually it's men who go, usually 18 or younger. Others times Wellington send dogs, properly trained dogs of various breeds to hunt, detect, and kill."

C-101 appears interested. "Sounds like an effective place."

Luna flashes C-101 an disapproving look, C-101 stiffens, his face grows red as a tomato. "I mean...well...you know...it's safe...generally most places aren't like that…"

Luna's expression softens. "I understand. I get it. But personally Wellington is a bad place. It's terrible and oppressive!" Her voice is full of passion. "I will never go back there!" She vows firmly.

C-101 scratches the back of his head, flustered. "Yeah….sorry…" He mutters.

Luna nods. "It's fine."

I eagerly want Luna to resume. "What happened with Wellington?"

"When Wellington refused, it led to a lot of conflicts. I stopped going to Wellington ever since. There's been stories of them resorting to cannibalism, other say they are forming cults now, some say they are forming so kind of dictatorship."

"Are those rumors true?" C-101 ask.

"I'm not sure. I rather not find out." Luna says.

I think about all of Luna's words. Wellington is definitely off my list now. I become curious about the other ones. "Honestly at this point, I want to stay far away from trouble. How are the other counties? If anything, I want to settle down in a place with an endless amount of food and water. I don't care much for electricity, I'll just settle with candles. Just a place that is safe."

Luna smiles brightly. "Hilton or Washington are great places. Valor is very far, the only way you can access it is through this massive river. Hilton is personally my favorite. It's a great place to be if you like farming and livestock."

"Sounds like it's Hilton," I confirm. "Thank you, Luna."

Luna nods. "You're welcome, Faye," Then a curious look grows on her face. "Um...may I ask you a few questions?"

I nod, leaning on the kitchen counter. "Anything."

Her gleaming eyes are full of concern. "What happened to Parker Kate?" She asks.

I feel a tidal wave of numbness overflowing inside of me. I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. "Ruby." I choke out. "She...she snapped.." I make hand gestures as I speak. "She thought the Infected were her friends. She murdered Lily when me and the others went out hunting."

Luna appears appalled by this. "Ruby?" She shakes her head in disbelief. "Ruby was just the sweetest thing. I never expected this out of her. She looks like she wouldn't hurt a fly."

I cross my arms. "I thought that too. But when we came back, Lily was dead and Parker Kate was barely hanging on. She was stabbed so many times, so many times I couldn't count them all. Minerva said she had 18 stab wounds total. She is very lucky to be alive."

Tender tears flows down Luna's puffy cheeks. "Oh my Goodness. Parker Kate…." Her voice trails off. She wipes away her tears. "How is she?"

"She's doing better. Minerva has been taking good care of her. Right now, she is healing, but she can't talk for a long time because apparently, she becomes short of breath. When she first attempted to walk, she fell. So Lincoln's been carrying her everywhere ever since. Thanks for all of the gifts, Luna. It's been a while since she smiled."

"No problem." Luna sniffles. "You know, if Parker Kate can't walk, I could go to Washington to get a wheelchair. It will take at least five days on horseback, but it's doable." She offers. I shake my head. "Parker can walk, but she just needs rest for now. She got Lincoln."

C-101 decides to chime in. "She was plain nuts." His voice falters. "Thankfully, Faye took care of her."

Luna looks at me with tearful eyes. I feel her eyes judging me, I want to kick C-101 for putting me on the spot like that. "I did see a grave when I came." She state.

I exhale heavily. "I had to do what was right." I say bluntly.

Luna nods solemnly. "I understand." She says softly. Luna looks towards Parker Kate's room. "I just hope she will recover mentally too. Thank goodness she got Lincoln looking after her." Luna then changes the subject. "Where did you live before?"

I am stuck on that question. I scramble my mind for my origins. I can't tell her EVERYTHING. I imagine in my head how she would react if I tell her I was the literal embodiment of the infection.

"Did you live in a Quarantine Zone?" Luna asks lightly.

I shake my head. "I always lived in the forest."

Luna smiles at me. "I hopped around a lot throughout my life. Lived in the woods, I lived in the Zone for a year or two. Lived in Settlements. Now I am currently settled somewhere, but I love to travel to new places. You should all go look for landmarks. There are so many of them!"

"I rather stay in one place. Honestly, I just want to settle down somewhere and stay there." I state firmly.

Luna nods. "I get it. Personally, I just like to move around. The world is so open and free, the sky's the limit." She looks out the window with a dreamy look.

I arch an eyebrow at Luna. She is peculiar but approachable. I can't understand her point of view. What person enjoys traveling to new places? Every time I go to a new place, something bad occurs. Why go to new places when you can just stay home and be safe? Her logic just baffles me.

"Parker Kate would love Hilton. They have this great bakery and libraries. A little school where she could make friends. Safe, open fields." Luna muse.

Luna extends a kind hand to me. "I can take you and the others to Hilton. Unfortunately, I have many errands to go on. Hopefully, Parker will be healed up when I come back."

"Hopefully." I remark.

Luna heads towards the door when C-101 approaches her. "Hey, I think I already said this….but...um...thanks...Luna….you're cool for doing this…...not a lot of people like you around….you know.." C-101 stutters.

Luna smiles at him warmly, her eyes gleaming. "Thank you, Xander. You're not so bad yourself. Honestly, I was worried at first. Almost half of the people I ran into aren't very friendly. But if you're with Minerva and Lincoln, you must be a good person."

C-101 is speechless, he scratches the back of his head flustered. "Thanks…" His voice trails off.

Luna gingerly grabs his hand. "I want to travel with you someday. Maybe when everything is settled and done, I want to take you and Parker to Yellowstone!" She declares.

C-101 nods wordlessly. Luna squeezes his hand supportively before letting go.

"Well, I need to go. Tell Parker that I said, "I'll be back soon." Luna calls out as she departs.

"I will," I say back. I head to the open door to close it behind her.

When I turn around, I find C-101 looking dreamily at the air. "Xander, what's wrong with you?" I demand. He appears to be in a self-induced trance. I look at him in confusion. "Um...Xander?" I say loudly.

This snaps him back into reality. "What?" His sharp voice confirms to me that he is his old self again.

"What's up with the personality changing when she's around?" I inquire.

C-101 blush profusely, he bites his lower lip. "Nothing...she's just….you know…" His voice stops.

I arch an eyebrow. "What?" I probe.

C-101 shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know….she's...different…" He admits shakily.

Then I realize that C-101 is referring to her bizarre nature and mannerism. "Yeah she is very weird. I mean just look at her outfit. She seems to be a bit off in the head….I mean.." C-101 cuts me off rudely.

"Shut up! Last time I checked none of us are exactly normal! Luna is the normal one compared to all of us!" He rebukes hotly.

I am taken aback from his harshness. "Sorry. Didn't mean to offend you." I say.

C-101 rolls his eyes at me impetuously. "Whatever, I got a plan now."

"What?" I sit down on the floor. I evade the couch completely.

C-101 appears thoughtful. "Well I'm not going to lie, I kinda like these new people. Minerva and Lincoln seem useful. Lincoln can hunt and Minerva is good with medical supplies. With that crazy bitch dead, we can travel to Hilton and settle down." He says. C-101 then looks at me intently. "Or are you still looking for the runaway?"

I shake my head. "No. I'm not. I still do want to go to a Quarantine Zone. To see an old face."

C-101 shrugs. "We'll see. For now, we just need to wait on the kid to heal. Lincoln is loyal as shit. So he's not budging until she's okay. We need more manpower if we are going to survive out there. We just need to stay strong!" With that, he gives me and Red a reassuring look.

Me and her nod accordingly.

…..

It isn't until mid-March when Parker Kate is able to walk. The snowfall has decrease and the low temperature remains. Whenever there is snowfall, it would be mixed with frigid rainfall. Minerva would continuously care for the girl as Lincoln gives Parker Kate sedulous supervision.

Luna keeps her promise of visiting. She would bring batteries, bullets, and other items from the Old Days to us. She would come twice, once at the middle of the month and again in the end. It seemed like a pattern. She would arrive in a different outfit with only her red hat remaining. She would be either ride on a horse or she would come on foot. Then she would check up on Parker Kate, give her gifts; like jewelry, clothes, and books. Then she would chatter with C-101 for a few minutes, then she would depart.

On her middle visit, I dubiously asked her to retrieve horses for us at the end of March. Even though Luna accepted this request, I have my doubts.

During the meantime, Parker Kate became capable of walking. Minerva had to pester Lincoln into letting her walk on her own. It wasn't until the middle of February when he gave in. It was difficult to watch, every movement she made excruciating for her. Against Lincoln's wishes, Minerva forced Parker Kate to keep moving regardless.

After many painful tumbles and falls, Parker Kate was able to balance herself on her two feet. She's still not completely capable of running, but she could walk step by step. Her ability to speak has improved completely.

At the end of March and the beginning of Spring, Luna arrives to the RV with horses fit for all of us. The chilly weather still remains, the end of March, there is a sheet of snowfall covering the ground. A brown horse for me, a light horse for Red, a white horse for C-101, a beautiful horse with a flowy mane for Minerva, and a black horse for Lincoln.

"We need to pack up." C-101 commands everyone. With that, we all pack up our backpacks with everything we need. Clothes, canned food, lighters, bullets, batteries, and water. Lincoln allows Parker Kate to pack her items by herself and Minerva brings a few of her favorite hair products and one romance novel.

I change into better clothes. Brown leather knee-high boots, blue jeans, a warm jacket, and a dark long-sleeved shirt. For the previous months, I make sure my hair is kept short. My hair only reaches the top of my shoulders. I go to Parker Kate's room to assist her with the packing. She neatly folds clothes into a pink backpack that Luna gifted her.

"Man, Ruby did a lot of damage." Parker Kate is dressed in a nightgown, preparing to dress for the outing. Her arms and legs are covered with rows of scars.

"It's a beautiful day." I attempt to make small talk.

Parker Kate is reserved. "It is."

"What do you want to take?"

"I...I..want to take one of Luna's books." Parker Kate replies. "She got me seven books. It's about a wizard fighting an evil wizard."

"Just one book, though?"

Parker Kate nods solemnly. She isn't talkative at all. For a short period, I help her stuff her clothes and other essential items into her backpack.

"Faye, have you seen the pearl necklace Luna got me? Lincoln put it up and I don't know where it is." She asks.

"I'll look. You should get your boots." I say.

Parker Kate nods submissively. She slowly gets up and hobbles to her nearby closet. I head to the nearby dresser and I dig through the drawers.

"Come on…" I mutter I dig through clothes we are planning to leave behind. After a half minute, I give up and assume Lincoln has it. I walk towards Parker Kate, her back is to me, she is occupied with one of her boot, trying to pry dirt out of it.

"Parker," I swiftly grab her shoulder, then it happens. An aggressive force strikes my abdomen and I stagger back in pain. "Shit!" I shriek.

Parker Kate whirls around with alarm blaring in her eyes. The force of her elbow sends sharp waves of pain throughout my body. "I am so sorry! I am so sorry!" She apologizes profusely, tears run down her cheeks.

I collect my breath. "It's fine," I tell her.

Parker Kate weeps remorsefully. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you. I didn't know you were behind me!"

I ignore the pain and I kneel down to her level. I could feel the gentleness rolling up my throat, but I push it back and I choose not to speak. I take her boot away and I clean the dirt inside of it. When I get the rocks and leaves out of it, I return back to a tearful Parker Kate.

"Faye, I am really sorry. I didn't mean to hit you! I swear!" Parker Kate exclaims pitifully.

I give the girl one nod and I head out of the bedroom to focus on myself.

With all of our packed items, we get on the horses. Lincoln carries his and Parker Kate's backpacks as he climbs on his horse.

"Hilton isn't far if you go down the right path. Just follow me and please do not wander off." Luna informs.

With that, we, all on our new horses departs from the RV.

 _ **Reviews and thoughts. Next chapter coming soon.**_


	49. The Cavern

We all ride behind Luna. The heavy hooves of my stallion loudly crunches in the snow. The horses doesn't require commands and only seem to follow Luna. She acts as our dutiful guidance, leading us down the right direction. Red's horse ride beside me on my right and C-101's horse is near by Luna, chattering with her. Red is affectionate to her horse, gently stroking it's mane with a faint smile.

On the first day of traveling, freezing rain soaks us. Luna keeps us on this narrow path through the forest. I look around my surroundings. Trees, tall and white, towers over us. In the far distance, I see hills and mountains covered in snow.

The sky is gray as C-101's pistol, fleets of clouds blocks the dim sun. Small animals scatter through the forest without a care in the world. I watch in envy at the flocks of bird soaring through the skies. Sometimes I wish I was a bird. Flying freely in the sky without worries of the beasts on the ground.

I turn my head to glance at my group. Looking at the remaining people, I can't help the feeling of surrealism. It's been months since we escape, but it feels like years now.

Lincoln's horse steadily comes to my left. I catch a glimpse of shivering Parker Kate clinging to her brother. She is withdrawn and conceals her face into Lincoln's shirt.

Lincoln looks ahead with hardened eyes. "Luna, it's getting late." He takes one glance at the darkening skies. "We need to find a campsite for the night."

"Don't worry. There's a cavern I often camp in." Luna reassures. "It's a few more miles away." Luna scans her surroundings as we trot down the pathway.

"A cave? Really, Luna? Parker Kate doesn't need to sleep in a cave!" Lincoln objects scathingly.

Minerva paces her horse closer to the conservation. She shoots Lincoln a stern look. "Lincoln, come on. Luna is doing her best. Better than sleeping in the woods and getting eaten." She scolds.

Lincoln rolls his eyes and ignores Minerva. "Luna, do you have any other place? Like a cabin or a tent? Parker needs a place that's comfortable and secure!" He insist.

Luna isn't offended by Lincoln's scornful voice. "It's fine, Lincoln. I managed to build it up to be a safe haven for myself. I have a soft bed with blankets. It's perfectly safe and secure." She explains.

"Just one bed?" Lincoln questions dubiously.

"I have several mattresses that are very comfortable."

"You mean mattresses full of mold and fungus." Lincoln says cynically.

"I promise you, Lincoln. Everything will be completely comfortable for you guys. I made sure to freshen it up for guests." Luna encourages.

"Lincoln, stop it!" Minerva hiss. Her face grows livid. "Luna is trying to help!"

Lincoln sighs heavily. "I know. I know she is, Minnie." He mutters. "I just prefer somewhere that's warm and comfortable."

"Don't worry, Lincoln. I promise that everything will be fine. Please, just trust me."

"Lincoln, let's just go to the cave first." C-101 chimes in.

"Fine." Lincoln exhales.

We ride the horses at least ten miles down the path when I catch a glimpse of Luna's cave. We find ourselves surrounded by rocky mountains and trees.

"There is." Luna points a firm finger to the cave up ahead. The mouth of the cave is across a long river and the sides are surrounded by rustling bushes. We ride closer to the cave.

"Well at least no infected can sneak up on us." Lincoln remarks.

"Yep!" Luna says cheerfully. Her tone switches to serious. "Now we must cross the river. It is very dangerous and deep."

"How are we going to cross then?" Annoyance inches in Lincoln's voice.

"Well, I tested it. The water is dangerous to us, especially if you don't know how to swim. But not to the horses. It's pretty deep, but they can walk us to the other side without trouble." Luna explains calmly.

"Let's go." Lincoln orders. He turns to his sister. "Parker, hold on very tightly. Do not let go for any reason."

Parker Kate says nothing and tightens her arms around him. I examine her from head to toe. Her entire body is stiffened.

Luna is the first to go. "Come on, Steven. You can do it." She encourages it gently. She gives the horse a gentle stroke on it's mane. "Go, please." With that, the horse promptly scrolls into the murky water. Luna is correct on the water, it swallows the horse's legs.

It only takes a half of a minute for the horse to get across. Luna hops off of her horse and beckons us to come. I go next. My horse is slower than Luna's. I attempt to encourage it to go faster. "Come on, go. Go." I urge.

The horse ignores me and goes it's own pace. It takes us two minutes as it goes as cautiously slow as it could. When we finally do cross, my horse picks up speed.

"Holy shit!" I gasp when I enter the gaping mouth in the mountain. It is a breathtaking environment. Littered with shimmering crystals, the ceiling sparkles. There is a reflective lake in the middle of the cavern, acting as a mirror. The cavern is wide and spacious.

I look up to above to see another mouth within the cavern, rows of rocks acts as a staircase.

"We need to leave the horses here." Luna informs everyone when everyone arrives. Minerva is looking around with wide eyes. "Luna, this is beautiful! Look at all of these crystals! This is amazing!" She gushes. She could barely contain herself.

Luna smiles broadly. "Thanks. It's secure from infected. They can't swim nor climb." She pets her horse affectionately.

"Where are we going to sleep?" Lincoln demands sharply.

Minerva shoots Lincoln a bitter look.

"There are many places you can sleep. I'll show you around. There are plenty of beds to sleep in. First, we need to go down into the tunnel." With that, Luna grabs a nearby stick. She pulls out a lighter out of her backpack. She lights the stick, illuminating the dim cavern.

"Follow me." She coaxes us. All of us form a line. Me behind Luna, C-101 behind me, Red behind C-101, Minerva behind Red, Parker Kate behind Minerva and Lincoln in the back.

We follow Luna deep inside of the cavern, we enter a tunnel with shimmering crystals within the walls. The temperature drops as we head down the long tunnel, sending a violent chill down my spine. The flickering of the torch makes our shadows dance on the walls.

"It's freezing!" Lincoln complains.

"We're almost there. There is a special place I want to tell you." Luna reassures. That's when we finally exit the tunnel. We find ourselves in a spacious area. There is a blazing firepit. Four-bed mattresses are scattered around. They all have blankets and pillows.

"We will be out tomorrow," Luna informs us. "I am preparing broth tonight."

Lincoln is stubborn. "No! This is pathetic! You said this would be comfortable!" He snaps.

"It is. It is a bit cold in here, but there is a warm fire and there's going to be a meal as well." Luna reassures.

Minerva chimes in. "Lincoln, stop, please. Luna is helping us. I know this isn't exactly a five-star hotel, but it's better than nothing." She says optimistically. Parker Kate and Minerva exchange a brief look.

Luna pushes a blonde bang out of her eyes. "You two can take my bed. I sleep in the top, it has a beautiful sight of the crystals. It is so alluring to look at." She flashes Parker Kate a bright smile. She kneels down her voice tender. "How are you feeling, Parker?"

Parker Kate doesn't speak, she only answers by solemnly nodding. I could see the effects of the trauma in her dim eyes.

Concern flashes in Luna's eyes. "Don't worry, Parker. Nothing is going to happen. Everything is going to be fine." She reassures.

Parker Kate timidly nods, lowering her eyes to the ground. Lincoln abruptly grabs Parker Kate's hand, making her grow rigid with alarm.

Lincoln notices this and kneels down to her. "Everything will be fine. I promise." He comforts. His voice is soft with an underlying flow of compassion.

I observe Parker Kate's stiff expression softens. "Okay." Her voice is light as a feather. Her cheeks blush profusely. With that, Luna beckons the two to the tunnel. "Dinner will be ready in a few. Make yourself at home." Luna announces.

"Thanks, Luna!" C-101 shouts out, his grateful voice bounces off the walls.

"No problem, Xander!" Luna shouts back.

With that, I decide to pick my mattress. All of the mattresses are neat with blankets and pillows. I pick the mattress close to a heap of glistening crystals.

"This place is just amazing!" Minerva gushes. "I have never seen crystals before!" Minerva paces over to my mattress to grab a light blue crystal shard. I think her eyes are going to burst out of her sockets as she gazes at the crystals.

"Faye!" She whirls around to me, holding out the crystal to me. "Isn't this beautiful? Oh my God!"

I shrug my shoulders. I find the crystals pretty, but I didn't have the same enthusiasm as Minerva.

Minerva stares at the shard in her possession. She is seemingly in her own little world. "Lily would love this." She mutters longingly.

From simply saying her name, Minerva's high spirits dampen. I see tears forming in her eyes.

Promptly, I place a hand on her shoulder. She looks up at me tearfully. "You're right, she would love it." I say with a small smile.

Minerva blushes out of embarrassment. "Sorry, I didn't mean to ruin the mood."

I shake my head. "No, it's fine. I understand." I say.

"Thanks for everything, Faye. I mean after everything, I am really happy that you guys are with us." Minerva says tenderly.

I feel my smile grow. "Thanks, Minerva. I'm glad to have you guys here too."

Minerva looks at the tunnel. "Speaking of which, has Parker Kate been talking?" She inquire. "I mean you were close to her during the horse ride here. Ever since that incident, Parker Kate has been different. She is extremely quiet."

"She is always quiet." I say in a matter of a fact voice.

Minerva nods. "I know. She's not exactly a social butterfly, but Parker is just so withdrawn lately. She doesn't even color in her coloring book anymore. The worst of all is how tense she is. I ended up learning that the hard way."

"What do you mean?"

"I tapped on Parker's shoulder one night when she came out the bathroom because I wanted to check up on her and she kicked me in the shin."

"Same thing with me." At that moment, the word, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, appears in my mind. Trauma can make drastic changes to a person's mental state.

"Do you think she has PTSD?" I ask.

"I don't know. Do you think so?" Minerva ask back.

I shrug. I think about Parker Kate's mannerism for the past weeks. Minerva is correct, Parker Kate has been taciturn. It didn't seem evident to me because of Parker Kate's reserved nature. But now that Minerva pointed out her concerns to me, I can see the abnormality she is seeing. The only abnormality I have experienced, but not note, was her sensitivity to touch.

I remember how she elbowed me when I simply grabbed her shoulder. Ever since then I have not grabbed her from behind.

Minerva sighs in dismay. "I wish we were back at the Zone. At least there they had therapists there."

I arch an eyebrow. "What's a therapist?" I ask clueless.

Minerva raises an eyebrow at me. "Um...what do you mean?"

"I don't know what a therapist is," I state honestly.

Minerva's face flushes. "Oh, well. A therapist is a person who you talk to about your mental issues. There were alot in the Zones," She shrugs her shoulders lazily. "Well if you can afford them."

"Have you ever been to one?" I inquire, sitting down on my bed.

Minerva shakes her head swiftly. "No. Uh...Ruby did." A sorrowful glint flashes in her eyes. "She was so different," Minerva laments. "She was always a little messed up, but I never knew she was this messed up." Minerva shakes her head as if to shake out a painful memory.

She resumes the original subject. "Parker Kate has been through so much." She laments. "I tried talking to her, but she is difficult to read."

Teddy invades my mind. I recall her trauma and how it affected her.

"She will be fine." I reassure Minerva.

Minerva blinks away tears. "Let's just talk about something else!" She huffs.

"It is so nice to see Luna again. I haven't seen her in years." Minerva mutters.

"Lincoln said you guys went to this all girl school, what was that like?" I inquire. I personally enjoyed speaking to Minerva. Our conservations diverts my mind from all of the troubles surrounding us.

Minerva sits on my bed with a thoughtful look. "It was perfect. Always surrounded by my friends. Always on top of all of the gossip. When I met Luna, I thought she was a complete weirdo. She was always wearing flowers in her hair, she had four leaves clover necklace that she swears gave her good luck. A lot of people did not like her at all. There were so many rumors about her being crazy or attention seeking.

Over time we became friends, it just took alot of time."

I arch an eyebrow. "Why?"

Minerva strokes her red hair. "Because to put it blankly, I was popular and she wasn't. It was like the animal kingdom in there. Hang out with your set of people and don't interact with the rest."

"That's dumb." I comment.

Minerva releases out an amused chuckle. "It was. But there was like this elite code we all followed. Luna made me see that. She just didn't care." Minerva smiles. "What about you? What school did you go to?" This time she includes Red and C-101 who were minding their own business in the background.

C-101 shrugs his shoulders. "We never went to school." He admits. "Kinda had to self teach."

Minerva opens her mouth to say something when Luna's loud voice bounces off the walls. "DINNER IS READY!" With that, I smell the delicious aroma of food. When Luna finally enters the chamber, she is holding two steamy bowls.

"I have more above, but I need some extra hands." Almost instantly, C-101 volunteers. "I could help!" He offers.

"That's great!" Luna exclaims, placing the bowls on the ground. "I hope you like this."

I walk over to one bowl and I grab it. It is broth full of mashed up vegetables. I inhale in the aroma, stomach rumbling with impatience. "Thanks, Luna." I say gratefully. I sit down on my bed and I immediately gobble down my meal. The meal is warm, savory with flavor.

Luna flashes me a smile before she departs with a brisk C-101.

Minerva sits down on my bed with her meal. "Looks like someone has a little crush…" She cooes. Minerva bursts out into a fit of giggles.

I arch an eyebrow. "A what?"

Minerva playfully winks at me. "You know. A crush. Xander clearly has the hots for Luna."

I couldn't help but be confused. I feel stupid at this moment. Minerva must have sensed this. "You know, a romantic interest. He is always acting so mushy around her! When you have a crush, you are just madly in love with that person." I feel completely out of my element. Even though I value Minerva as a friend, she is more socially competent than me. I couldn't help my pangs of envy towards her.

I shrug my shoulders. "I guess," I say halfheartedly.

I eat my meal quietly. I finish my meal before everyone else and I decide to just relax. I lay idly on my bed with Minerva chattering my ears off.

…..

At night, I have a horrific nightmare. It starts normal. Me and my new group all traveling through a desolate forest. All of us riding on our horses to Hilton.

That's when blinding flash of lights strikes. It is powerful, so powerful it knocks me clear off of my horse. An ear piercing scream echoes through my eardrums, my head collides with the hard ground. When I open my eyes, I am alone.

No Red, C-101, not even the horses. I get up as the environment becomes ominous. The sky darkens, the air around me compresses.

"Hello?" I blurt out. My nerves frazzles inside of me. My heart impulses intensely. My voice grows shrill. "HELLO?" Terrified, I slam my hand over my mouth. I anticipate infected to ambush me.

But instead I am met with a terrifying sight.

A grotesque Teddy. A whitish Daphne. A tearful Ruby. A mutilated Mucker. All of them stand in front of me in a row. I quickly notice they were seemingly in order. Mucker first, Daphne second, Teddy, third, and finally Ruby. Teddy and Ruby both with a bloody headshots in their skulls, Mucker's infected hand, and Daphne's strangled throat. All of them look at me, judging every inch of my existence.

I use all of my strength to move away from them. I couldn't bear to look at them. I take one long step back and I whirl around.

A bloodcurdling scream escapes my throat when I am met with the terror stricken sight of Red. Dismembered, her limbs scattered everywhere, floating in a massive crimson pool. Her lifeless eyes stares at me permanently.

"RED!" I shriek. Uncontrollable flows of tears rushes down my cheeks. "NO! NO!" I violently yank my hair as I feel my mind crumbling.

I step back only to something hard. I look down to see the severed hand of C-101. I turn around and I scream at the top of my lungs. His body is painted in crimson, limbs torn off and scattered. "NOOOOO!" Before I know it, I feel the painful sensation of ten claws digging through my facial flesh. The ten claws are vicious, forming deep trenches in my skin.

I observe the flow of blood dripping down my long fingers.

Then I awaken with a shrill shriek. My shriek bounces violently off the walls. I wake up everyone in the chamber.

"What the fuck, Faye?" C-101 cries angrily.

My legs automatically leaps me out off the mattress and I rush over to C-101. With tears rushing, I fling myself to C-101 and I lock my arms around his neck.

C-101 is completely rigid from my sudden embrace. "What the hell?" He whispers confused. Through my tears, I see C-101 exchanging a baffled look to Red. I am unconsolable, my face slams itself in his shoulder.

But he still embraces me back. "What's wrong with you?" I feel a warm hand patting me on the back as I sob incessantly.

"Faye?" I hear Minerva's concerned voice.

"What happened?" C-101 demands.

I speak through my hysterical sobs, unable to speak in coherent sentences. "You….Red….dead…...body limbs! Everyone….Teddy…" I bawl. I continue to cry uncontrollably. I feel like I am going insane.

C-101 is utterly baffled. He gives me a pat on the back, I could tell he is uncomfortable. "Faye, uh...um...look whatever you think happened...didn't...happen...okay. Relax. Everything is fine." I feel him gently trying to pry me off.

I finally release my grip off of him. "I saw you all die!" I weep.

Waves of sorrow rolls over me. "Everyone dead!"

"Who?" C-101 questions with wide eyes.

"EVERYONE! YOU, RED, MUCKER! TEDDY! DAPHNE! EVERYONE!" I snivel brokenly.

C-101 becomes soft-spoken. "Calm down. It's fine. We're fine." He consoles me. C-101 places a warm hand on my shaking shoulder. "Just relax. Nothing is going to happen."

My intense emotions control me. "No! Everyone keeps dying. Teddy is dead! Daphne is dead! Everyone we meet dies!" My lungs struggle to contain oxygen.

C-101 continues to try to calm me down. "Calm down!" He says firmly.

I struggle to regain control over myself. I know I am losing my mind right now. Calm down, Faye! Stop crying! Calm your ass down, Faye! I command myself.

I force myself to inhale and exhale as hard as I can. Calm down. Calm down. Beads of sweat run down my face. I touch my face to check if I have scratches.

I did not.

My tears lessen as my body numbs down.

"Look, just go to sleep. Everything is fine." C-101 tells me. I look him in the eyes to see a mixture of concern and confusion.

I didn't say a word. Thoughtlessly I nod my head and I hobble right back to my mattress.

…

When morning comes, it is awkward. I shrink every passing second, my cheeks flushing with shame.

"You okay now?" C-101 ask me once I get off my mattress.

I nod wordlessly. Minerva scrolls over to me. "Are you sure? Do you need to talk?"

I shake my head. "I'm fine." I say weakly.

Minerva suddenly grabs my hands and gives me a squeeze. Her face is full of compassion. "It's fine. If you need to talk, I'm here." She tells me.

"Thanks, but I'm alright." I insist.

Minerva is persistent. "No, no, there's no reason to be ashamed. You and I can talk about it. No one is gonna to judge you, I promise." Minerva attempts to make me sit down on the mattress. "Let's talk before Luna comes!"

As if on cue, Luna enters the chamber. "Morning!" She says cheerfully. She already has on her backpack. "Time to go!"

I use this moment to yank my hand away from Minerva and I snatch up my backpack. I am the first person out of the chamber.

The horses are outside, contently drinking from the river. I hop on my horse quickly. I just want to go Hilton and that's it.

It feels like hours when Luna exit the cavern with everyone. I make sure my horse is behind Luna when we cross the river.

We travel through the forest down a narrow path for hours and hours. I can't help but feel ashamed. I couldn't even look anyone in the eyes. I only stare the horse I am riding on. The nightmare leaves a profound mark in my mind. I couldn't shake off the fear it gave me.

Then I hear the sound of a gunshot. Time seems to speed up when Minerva falls off her horse and onto the ground with a hard thud. Her blood-chilling scream and the agonizing screech of the collapsing horse echoes through the forest. No one has time to react when a blazing Molotov is flung in our direction. My horse becomes fearful. I feel myself plummeting to the ground as I lose my grip. My head collides to the ground, sending dizzy spells through my body. I hear the hooves of my horse galloping away. I use all of my willpower to not faint. I roll on my back to see another Molotov soaring over my head. The smoke swarms me, strangling my lungs.

"RUN!" I hear Lincoln yell.

I find the strength to move, but I keep on the ground to avoid the fleeting bullets. I could feel the scorching heat surrounding me. Unfettered, bright flames hungrily devour the nature. Licking the trees and bushes with blazing flames. I crawl on the ground, using my hands as my guidance. I listen out for my friends.

All I could hear the waves of the bullets.

 _ **Next chapter will come. Reviews and thoughts.**_


	50. The Significance

I could feel the scorching heat surrounding me. Hungry flames painfully lick my skin. I find myself on my sore stomach, I summon the strength to lift my head up. All I see are walls of flames. The piercing sounds of gunshots ring in the air. I hear the booming voices of men yelling at the top of their lungs. "Get her! Don't let her get away!" I hear a deep voice bellow in the distance.

"Get the bitch!"

I contemplate what to do. I fear the idea of a fatal bullet to my heart or brain. I feel safe lying on my stomach and laying low. I hope that my group makes it out safely.

It is when the waves of bullets decrease, I begin to crawl as slowly as possible. "AHH!" A pain stricken scream escapes my throat when a blunt force strikes the top of my head. The strike is so powerful that my face slams to the ground. My mind spins wildly as I struggle to maintain consciousness. "Fucking bitch." A husky man's voice echoes through my eardrums, his heavy boot steps on my throat, keeping me planted to the ground.

"Where's that girl?" He demands harshly. "Tell me before I blow your head off!"

My heart skips a beat every second. "Who….who?" I gasp.

That's when I feel myself being lifted off of the ground like a feather. I am flipped onto my back to see the man's face. A tall man with a dark beard aiming a gun at my head. He stomps on my chest, knocking all oxygen out of me. "Where is the bitch? The cunt you were riding with! Where is she?" I then realize he must be talking about Luna. "I….I...don't know…" I croak. The man's face reddens with anger. With ease, he grabs my shirt to lift me off my feet. I feel like I am nothing but air as he carries me off. The smoke chokes my throat, preventing me from screaming. The man moves briskly through the flaring environment. I have no strength other from listening to the blazing nature surrounding us. "RICHARD! LIAM!" The man shouts out. "Open it up!" I look up to see a large cage on wheels in an open area. I see coughing men jerking open the cage. The men run off. "GET THEM! TOSS THE BITCH IN!" One of the men yells harshly. My heart impulses intensely. I can't help my trembling. When we get close to the cage, I see an unconscious Parker Kate, Red, and Minerva inside it.

"CONNOR!" I hear a familiar voice. I look at the direction of the voice. That's when Felix comes up behind him. When our eyes meet, I am speechless. "Drop her." He commands.

Connor shakes his head. "No! This bitch knows where she is! She is playing stupid!"

"CONNOR!" Felix's booming voice makes me jerk. Connor loses his grip, I plummet to the ground facefirst. I only have the strength to roll on my back. Connor glares at me coldly, towering over me.

I examine Felix from head to toe. He changed over the years. He is more burly and muscular than I remember. His face is covered with dark scars, he wears metal armor with multiple weapons in his possession. His rust colored beard is thick and his hair is trimmed.

"You better tell us where Luna is!" Connor angrily stomps on my chest as hard as he could.

Felix showcases his brute strength by grabbing the man from behind and yank him back with ease. He seems light as a leaf when Felix easily pulls him back. "Killing her won't help us!" Felix scolds him.

The man glares at Felix but doesn't dare to say anything back. "Get everyone else!" With a begrudging look, Connor runs off in the blazing distance.

Felix turns his head to me. "Can you stand up?" He ask me.

Emotions run through me like a tidal wave. Before I know it, my legs jolt me up and I throw myself to Felix. Felix has no time to react when I lock my arms around him, sharp pain shoots through me when I slam my face into his armor wear. Felix is quick to pry me off. "What the fuck?" Anger flashes in his dark eyes. I remember his harsh and cold tone. Resentment overflows through me.

I narrow my eyes coldly. "Felix?" This is the first word that comes out of my mouth. The bitterness rolls on my tongue.

Felix glares at me. "Come! Get on the wagon!"

Without thinking, I yank out my hunting knife. All of my negative emotions boil within me. For years, I desired to meet Felix once again. But he and his men ambushed us and trapped my friends in a cage. "NO! LET MY FRIENDS GO!" I snarl. Felix says nothing in response, he reaches out to me. Automatically, I swing my knife, slashing Felix's bare palm.

"FUCK!" Felix bellows, staggering back. I see Minerva and Red waking up. "GET OUT OF HERE!" I holler at them. I instantly run for it.

"Come on!" I hear Minerva shriek. I do not look back once as I sprint into the forest.

I keep sprinting with my lung compressing. The scorching smoke invades my weakening lungs. My foot violently twists, forcing me to lose my balance. I fall facefirst to the simmering ground. "Shit!" I cough. I reach out my arms to regain my balance. A blood-curdling screech escapes my throat when excruciating agony shoots through my body. I see my left hand trapped in a bloody bear trap.

"FAYE!" Parker Kate runs to my side. Tears flowing down her cheeks, the girl pulls my free arm to help me up.

"GET ME OUT OF THIS!" I scream frantically. Automatically, Parker Kate attempts to pry my trapped hand out of the trap.

Every tug sends sharp pain down my spine. Parker Kate stops suddenly and looks behind me. "RED! MINERVA!"

Within seconds, I hear the retracting of Red's claws. I watch her, convulsing in agony as she does her best to pry my hand out.

I am desperate. "Cut my fingers off! Now! NOW!" I shriek urgently. The urgency increases in my voice when I hear the thundering footsteps coming towards us.

"NOW!" Hesitation appears on Red's face. Anger flashes in my eyes as I glare at Red. "NOW! DAMMIT! FUCKING DO IT!" I cry. Then I am blinded with the excruciating pain of Red chopping off two of my fingers. Minerva's shaky fingers yank me back as I bite down on my lower lip to block my screaming.

Automatically, I jump to my feet and I begin to sprint. Adrenaline overwhelms the agony as I run. Minerva keeps up with me, her frightened eyes glue to my injured hand. "Holy shit! Are you okay?"

I did not care for my fingers at this moment and I did not answer. "Just run!"

All of us run together as fast as we could.

It is when Parker Kate sees something in the distance. "Look! A house!" She shouts, pointing a finger. I follow her finger to see a stone wall ahead. Ahead of the wall is an opening, a wide field with meadows, nearby I see a two-story stone cottage. I sprint straight for it. "RUN FASTER!" I order.

When we are two feet away, I see a young boy with a basket coming near the house. "HELP US!" I cry, assuming he lives there.

The boy jerks at the sound of my voice. He whirls around to see us running to him. Panic flashes through his eyes.

"Help!" Minerva shouts out. "We have a kid with us! Help us!"

The boy doesn't say anything, he opens the door of the stone house wide open, beckoning us to come inside.

We dash through the flaming forest and when we enter the opening, we spill into the boy's house.

 _ **Next chapter will come very soon. Leave reviews and thoughts.**_


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